Ciel's Adventures in Wonderland
by Doll of the Devil
Summary: Follow Ciel as he falls into a land of Wonders, and for his butler... (SebaCiel, Sebastian/Ciel, Shounen-ai, Yaoi) COMPLETE!
1. Proloque Down the Rabbit Hole

**Last Edit: 30-07-2013**

**Edit: 5-12-2012 - I have re-read and revised the story up to chapter 15, something I have been meaning to do for a long time. I was simply staggered at the large amount of mistakes in the first few chapters, but I think that I corrected them all. **

**No mayor changes were made.**

**Please enjoy the story!**

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>My first multiple chaptered Fan Fiction, Kuroshitsuji once again. I'm a bit nervous about it. Ah, we'll see how it goes.

It's my version of Ciel in Wonderland; it is different from the OVA, which was awesome, but the story diverged a lot from my expectations. Plus, I'm in a bit of a writer's block, and when I finally managed to type something, this little monster was born. And it will get back at me if I don't upload it.

Things you must know:

- Ciel is about fifteen in this story.  
>- This story was started before the Campina arc, so the Undertaker is OOC.<br>- Manga based - No season 2

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><p><strong>Fandom: <strong>Kuroshitsuji**  
>Pairing: <strong>Sebastian/Ciel, Grell/Sebastian (one-sided), Grell/William, Lizzie x Ciel (one-sided), Madam Red x Vincent Phantomhive, Madam Red x Sebastian (one-sided), Rachel Phantomhive x Vincent Phantomhive**.  
>Rating: <strong>T  
><strong>Chapters:<strong> 24 plus a prologue and an epilogue

**Warning:** Will include lots of Romance – including Shounen-ai (soft Yaoi) – kindly read the post on my profile if you have any questions about this, Views of the Victorian Society, Cross-dressing, Paranoia, Anger, Angst, Panic, War, Murder, Dead of a Character.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Kuroshitsuji_ or the OVA _Ciel in Wonderland_ or its characters and events, the series belong to Yana Toboso. Neither do I own _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ and _Through the Looking Glass_ or its characters and events, they belong to Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) or the 2010 movie _Alice in Wonderland_ or its characters and events, which belongs to Tim Burton.  
>The Picture is by Shina Himetsuka and the quote in the summary is by Friedrich Nietzsche.<p>

**Please read and write a review, those make me squeal with joy.**

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><p><strong>Ciel's Adventures in Wonderland.<strong>

Prologue – Down the Rabbit-Hole.

Ciel Phantomhive was beginning to get very tired of sitting at his desk, listening to Sebastian, and having nothing to do. The subject his butler-turned-tutor currently discussed, happened to be Latin, in opinion of the Earl, the most dreadfully boring subject the butler could have managed to decide on for this afternoon.

"As you know, young master, the conjunctions of verbs in Praesens are as followed: -o, -s, -t, -mus-"

Due to nightmares, the young Lord did not manage to get much sleep the previous night and he could feel his tired eyes beginning to droop, but, hardly able to suppress a yawn, he forced himself to stay awake. If he'd fall asleep, his butler would never let him hear the end of it.

"In Imperfect you add either: -ba or –eba, and-'

Forcing back another yawn, Ciel looked up from his far too heavy textbook to his servant, only to be jolted awake immediately; a shiver spread from the tip of his crown and settled like lightening between his shoulder blades. He rubbed his eye, blinking furiously after doing so.

_He must be going mad!_

His Sebastian, his butler, his personal tutor, his contractor, had abruptly sprouted two equal, fluffy, white rabbit ears!

"Sebastian?" Ciel questioned, his voice an octave higher with surprise. Sebastian, however, seemed to be troubled himself, his brow furrowed, and newly emerged ears twitching, as he dug into his tailcoat in search for his pocket watch. With a clicking sound he flipped it open, revealing the Phantomhive emblem engraved into the back of it to Ciel.

Sebastian took a glance at it and gave a start.

"Oh, dear," he exclaimed, panic layering his usually calm voice. "I'm terribly late!"

And, without so much of a glance in his master's direction, he swiftly turned around and marched - hopped almost - himself straight out of Ciel study; all while giving the Earl good view of the matching bunny tail that now adorned his backside.

Astonished and stunned, the young boy sat - as if turned into stone - in his crimson, velvet, with silver ornamented, desk chair; his mouth slightly agape, one lone sapphire eye wide with shock.

_This, this was…_

A single finger twitched, the muscles in his arms contracted and released. Once his body began to regain life again, he cried out an order; whether it had been "Wait!", "Hold it right there!" or "Get back!" he did not register, but neither did his butler obey.

A Phantomhive servant should not disobey him, was not going not disobey him: the master of the household!

Outraged, he leaped from his spot and set in motion what was going to be one hell of a chase.

He crossed his study and dashed through the passage leading to one of the many halls, considered left and right, and was just in time to see the end of Sebastian tailcoat disappear around the corner to his left. As fast as his high, black, laced heels could carry him, he darted after his butler.

He followed Sebastian into the hallway he remembered leading to the kitchen. What he did not remember, though, was the hallway being this long or it being filled with signs bearing the oddest sayings ('This way', 'That way', 'To here', 'Go Back') and pointing in the most bizarre directions (the floor, the wall, the ceiling; left and right). Nevertheless, he had no time to consider this, for he was hardly able to keep up with his butler-now-turned-rabbit.

He shouted another order: to stop, and was once again ignored. Furiously, he quickened his pace, and when he had almost reached Sebastian, the man (demon? rabbit?) opened a door that seemed to appear out of thin air and disappeared into its unidentified darkness. And, by the cause of his rush, Ciel unwillingly went through the same entrance.

For a moment, Ciel was simply enveloped by shadows (where did that damn butler go?), but then, the floor (whether there ever had been one or not) disappeared beneath his boots and, fear flaming up in his chest, fell he into nothingness.

_Falling down, down, down…_


	2. Chapter 1  The Room of Doors

**Note:** The word 'gay' has the Victorian definition: happy, jolly, cheerful.

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><p>Chapter 1 – The Room of Doors<p>

With a loud thump, Ciel finally hit the ground - or what he assumed as the ground. What he lay on was a round, black-and-white, checkered, marble surface.

In his fall he had bruised his left shoulder, and pain racked his body as he tried to move. When he managed to sit up straight, he realised to his horror that it indeed wasn't the floor he sat on; it was the ceiling.

For a moment he sat there, frozen, feeling the blood rush to his head, afraid that if he'd move he would fall again. Obviously, this wasn't even needed, because, not a moment later, he was, as if by force, sent crashing to the ground. He landed, fortunately without further bruising his shoulder, on something soft this time, which he realised to be a bed.

In pain and fear of more, he preferred to just lie there; possibly, this was all a dream and if he'd close his eyes, he would wake up in his own bed later.

However, that notion was in contrary to the pain he could feel. Furthermore, he came here to look for Sebastian, and he would have to get up eventually. Not to mention that he was an Earl. Earls do not give up so easily. Running his hand though his grey-coloured hair, he raised his head, observing his surroundings.

The room was shaped to fit the round ceiling, and every single spot on the wall was occupied with a door. Small and large doors; fashioned in circles, squares, triangles even! And shaded in colours Ciel would never consider using for a door (yellow, pink, purple and blue).

He called out Sebastian's name, hearing his voice catch of the walls and no one answering him. He was on his own.

The young Lord swung his legs of the side of the bed, and used his right arm (the one not injured) to lift himself up. His heals made a 'click'-like sound as they came in contact with the floor. Ciel looked up at the solid ceiling; there was no way back. He contemplated all the doors, wondering which one Sebastian had disappeared into.

He decided on the one closest to his left, a golden one adorned with flowery details; the handle was formed into a rose, but when he tried to turn it, it wouldn't budge. Rattling it irritatedly, he decided on the next one, but to his astonishment, that one did not give away either. And neither did the following, or the ones after that.

_What was the point of filling a room with doors, if none of them opened? _

Letting out a frustrated huff, Ciel lowered himself into a sitting position, leaning against one of the wooden ornaments, because, apparently, they did not serve any purpose. He was beginning to feel tired and worn out.

He was about to relinquish his pride and just return to the bed, when something glistering caught his eye. In the middle of the room stood a small, glass table, with one single, small, sparkling key on it. The Earl felt excitement fill his body fill and he jolted up, racing towards the furniture and grabbing the golden key, like a kitten seizing a piece of jewels.

He randomly tried it on every door, but felt his excitement lower with every single one. The key did not fit for it was far too petite.

A small keyhole; he needed a small keyhole. He picked out the smallest door he could find, one made of grey stone, about an inch higher than he was, but even this one was far too large and too indelicate for the minuscule item.

Wound up, he stomped the ground with his right foot.

_Was there really no way out of here?_

A rustling sound gave him a start, and turning around as fast as he could, his eye fell upon a curtain he did not remember to be there before. Crossing the distance and pulling the red cloth aside, he finally found what he was looking for. An entrance only large enough for a mouse to fit through.

Kneeling in front of it, he placed the key into the matching golden knothole and turned it. With a creaking sound, it gave away, and crouching in front of it, Ciel saw a beautiful garden that lay behind. He longed to enter, to step out of this capacity (was it his imagination or was this place becoming more narrow?), but disappointment and distress filled his heart.

He'd finally found a way out, only to realise that he could never pass through it. If only he could become smaller.

The boy withdrew with the key, letting the door fall closed, and returned to the glass table, half hoping that he'd find another key on it. This time, however, he found a bottle on it. It was made of clear crystal and filled with a strange blue liquid; around the neck hung a bow, which held a paper label:

_Drink me. _

If he had not been suspicious before, he certainly was so now. He fleetingly looked around him, still seeing no-one. Did someone really expect him to drink an odd, unidentified substance?

Ciel glanced back at the small gateway, previously hidden behind the curtain. Would the potion make him smaller, small enough to fit through that door? And was he going to take the risk of being poisoned?

Uncorking it, he sniffed it. It smelt like sugar and berries, not like he remembered any poison to smell. Also, he was a kind of thirsty from his exertions.

Cautiously, he put the drink to his lips, shut his eyes tightly and tipped it over.

It may have smelled nice, but it tasted disgusting; like smashed potatoes, mixed with coffee and spices, drenched in fish oil. Coughing and sputtering, he wiped his lips, which tingled strangely.

Truth be told, his whole body tingled bizarrely. The key slipped through his fingers and fell clattering to the ground, and, before he was able to think twice, felt himself shrink to the size of a rat.

He was glad to be tall enough to fit though, but along with his current situation came another predicament. His clothes had not shrunk along with him, and, even if he was all alone, he did not feel very comfortable to walk around bare.

Hiding between his now far too large garments, he looked around wildly. Perhaps he could find something to cover himself up with. Amazed, he found a tiny, powder-blue outfit, complete with stockings, apron, _Mary-Janes_ and a headband adorned with a bow, hanging from one of the legs of the glass table.

It was a bit too frilly and gay for his liking, but he did not really have a choice in the matter. Snatching it from its hanger, slipping into everything and tying the apron behind his back, he emerged from his hiding place. Taking the key, he ran towards the exit and, reopening the door, entered the garden.

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><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Most of all, I would like to thank everyone for reviewing this and, of course, my other stories. Your efforts are very much appreciated! I'll try to update regularly, but with school and everything, I can't make any promises.

**Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this and don't forget to tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 2 A Conversation sub Rosa

Chapter 2 – A Conversation sub Rosa

If there was one thing Ciel Phantomhive strongly disliked, was it his height. Being only five feet four was not simple when you tried your hardest to come of as an adult. Now, however, being only ten inches high, Ciel could wish for nothing more than to resume his original height.

Compared to him, everything in the garden was enormous. Even the grass seemed to outgrow him, not to speak of the flowers and mushrooms; and then the trees, they resembled giants!

The garden was wild-grown, it looked to have no pattern, and Ciel had no idea where to go. If he'd randomly choose a direction, he would undoubtedly get lost.

He tried calling for Sebastian once more, but this time he did not even expect an answer. He considered going back and waiting in the room of doors, but who knew how long it would take for Sebastian to get to him. And Ciel's patience was slipping more and more with every second.

But to his surprise, he got a response; although not from Sebastian.

"Are you lost dear?" a high female voice questioned him, making him jump.

Madly looking around and trying not to let his panic sound through his voice, he asked: "Who's there?"

"Do not fear, love," the voice came again, "we only wish to help."

"Help, yes," another agreed, a male this time.

Ciel could see no humans around, so he asked: "Where are you?"

"Oh, dear, up here! I'm the lovely pink one!"

Following the sound of her haughty and proud voice, Ciel looked up only to exclaim a shriek of surprise. One large, pink coloured rose was looming over him, and it spoke English!

"It's quite a jumpy one, isn't it?" the male spoke again.

"Hey!"

"Be nice, brother," the rose said. Focussing her attention on Ciel again, she noted: "You must be Alice!"

Ciel hesitated, but deciding that, even if she was so large, she could not possibly hurt him, and he replied cautiously:

"No, I'm afraid not, madam."

The rose was visibly shocked, her petals shifted.

"Not Alice," she exclaimed, "but you're such a lovely girl!"

A wave of anger rushed through the young Earl's body, making cheeks flare angrily.

"I'm a boy!"

The rose froze and turned her centre directly towards him, leaning closer – forcing Ciel to lean back – studying him carefully. After some long moments of consideration, she asked: "Are you sure, my dear?"

Feeling insulted, he complained heatedly:

"Of course, I'm sure of that!"

"Well, well, no need to shout, love!"

The young_ boy_ found himself at his limit. The almost absent ache in his shoulder seemed to return and, rubbing his throbbing head with the tips of his fingers, he gave one last try.

"Have you," he questioned tiredly, "have you seen a male pass here? He wears a black tailcoat and has two- two r-rabbit ears and a tail?"

"Hmm," she turned her 'head' to the side, seemingly thinking back. Eventually, she replied vaguely: "Yes, yes, when I was talking to Mary, over there – about the weather, you know, it is so terribly dry lately – anyway, I may have heard someone pass here…"

Feeling his spirits rise again, Ciel asked her excitedly: "Did you see were he went?"

The flower shook her head sadly. "No, dear, I did not see the direction he went in." Ciel hung his head; he was never going to find his butler in this place!

"Say! Is he your lover?"

Feeling his mouth drop open, he stared at her. _Sebastian his, his…_

"What?! No, no, no! He's my butler!"

"Whatever you say dear," she said, her tone teasingly.

Desperately trying to hide his red cheeks behind his bangs, he felt a sigh pass his lips. He let himself fall to the ground, rubbing his visible eye with his left hand.

Seemingly, the flower pitied him, because she said comfortingly: "You know, I may not know where he went, but you could go in that direction," she indicated to his right, "there you will find the caterpillar, he might know where your lov– excuse me – your _butler_ went."

The young master raised his head to look to his right; he was able to recognize some sort of path there, and, while he did not look forward to speaking with what she called a 'caterpillar', this was his only option.

He raised himself and, turning back to the flower, he thanked her. Setting off in the direction she'd pointed out, he heard her call after him: "Good luck, Alice!"

Letting out an aggravated grunt, he mumbled under his breath: "My name is Ciel Phantomhive... and Sebastian is most certainly not my _lover_!"

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><p><strong><strong>Author's Note:<strong> **Again, thank you for all the reviews! This took quite long to update, regular updates are quite difficult for me. This story is going to take a while, that's for sure. It is progressing rather slowly, and I wonder which direction it is going to take. Really, I have no idea! Any requests, events you would like to take place? (You guys are going to ask for lemons, aren't you?)


	4. Chapter 3 Curiouser and Curiouser

Chapter 3 – Curiouser and Curiouser.

Grass, flowers, mushrooms, trees; Green, pink, red, yellow, purple, blue, brown and more and more green. After what felt like hours of walking, everything in Ciel's path began to blend together.

Tired and worn out, he just wanted to find Sebastian as quickly as possible, and return to the mansion; his beautiful mansion, without strange doors and gardens and talking flowers and God-may-know what else he'd walk into sooner or later.

This was officially the most curious place Ciel had ever set a foot in. Up until now, he had passed more talking plants, who were very offended as he walked past them without conversing, horseflies in the most literal sense (miniature horses with fly-like wings) had zoomed past him, species like dodo's and bullfrogs (body of a frog, horns of a bull); Not to add that he was almost trampled by a white spotted, black pig, wearing a pink bonnet and a matching bow in his coiled tail.

Ciel dragged on his aching feet, wondering how long it would take for him to finally run into that caterpillar, when he came to a halt.

His course was blocked by a colossal of a hedge; darkly it loomed over him, its sides stretching as far as the eye could see. He thought of going back and asking for other directions, but doubting he'd get comprehensible ones, he set on looking for an opening. To his relief he found one about five feet to his left, and after crossing that distance he peeped thought it.

His eye landed upon an eccentric sight; not far past it, a human-like, _blue_ caterpillar sat - smoking something with a particular smell - upon the oddest mushroom he had seen until now (every inch of it coloured differently, quite akin to a rainbow). Another creature - seemingly a breed of a human and a butterfly, with large coloured wings and a short, matching, fairy-like dress - had perched herself in his lap.

Apparently, Ciel had made a sound of surprise, since she turned her head towards him, her comic eyes observing him. She crawled out of the oblivious caterpillar's lap and flew towards the young boy. She landed in front of the gateway, tilting her head lopsided like a cat, as she looked him over, and as Ciel did the same he came to a startling realisation:

It was Ran-Mao.

Open-mouthed, he took a second glance at the caterpillar, which suddenly seemed very familiar as well; and that smell…

Ran-Mao moved closer to him, and leaning over, grabbed his hand and helped him to crawl through the small hole in the hedge, giving Ciel a slight déjà vu. Once through, he straightened himself and thanked Ran-Mao, and ran towards the mushroom and the ignorant blue creature that still sat there.

"Lau!" Ciel exclaimed. He ran around the toadstool to get in front of him, and repeated the Chinese man's (or what had once been a man) name, but received no response. He sat there passively inhaling smoke from a pipe, and only looked up as the 'butterfly' re-obtained her place in his lap, and nudged his shoulder.

"Alice," she spoke.

Lau gave a start. "Alice, eh? That sounds familiar; let me think…" He adopted a thoughtful look that only made him look more dim-witted, and, getting impatient, Ciel yelled: "Hey, there! I'm talking to you!"

At long last, Lau noticed him, and a smile found its way onto his face.

"Well, hello there! Who are you?" He took another puff from the pipe and blew all of it rudely into Ciel's face.

Coughing, Ciel used his hands to waft away the smoke that he now recognized as opium.

"Hey, d-don't do t-that!"

"Who are you?" it came again, every word accompanied by another cloud, making Ciel's asthma flare up.

Wheezing he managed to reply heatedly: "What do you mean, 'who are you'? I'm Ciel, you moron!"

"Ciel? I don't know a Ciel!"

The Earl stared, first Sebastian and now Lau and Ran-Mao! Didn't anyone recognise him? Had everyone forgotten about him?

Regaining his breath, he tried to explain:

"I'm Earl Ciel Phantomhive, you do know me! We work together!"

Lau turned his head towards the blue heavens, and gave the impression of considering it, but then looked back at him shaking his head. Ciel copied him, only he did so out of exasperation; sighing, he was met with another float of smoke and the same question, who he was.

"Lau! I'm going to ask you a question and you are going to answer me! Have you seen Sebastian pass here?"

"Sebastian? I don't know a Sebastian! But, more importantly, who are you?"

Ciel's palm met his forehead, adding to the ache that was starting to develop there, and cursing under his breath, he gave up.

_There was just no talking to this man._

He was about to turn around and leave, not caring where he would get to (nothing could be more mad than this!), but he was halted by the Chinese girl's voice:

"Mushroom."

"Excuse me?"

"Mushroom," she repeated, pointing down to the rainbow-coloured thing the couple sat upon.

"What about it?" Ciel asked, curiously studying it.

"Mushroom does mushrooming," she said vaguely and went behind Lau, hooked her arms under his armpits, and, by use of her wings, lifted him of the subject. Amazed by her strength, Ciel stared as she and the caterpillar floated higher and higher, before flying off without so much of a goodbye, leaving him on his own, once more.

Being one who solves mysteries, he walked closer to the fungus, and, hoisting himself up on the lowest side, he managed to mount it. Crawling to the centre, careful not to fall off, he seated himself. Thinking like mad, he turned her words over and over in his head.

_Mushrooming? Mush-_

_To pop up like a mushroom! _

Ciel placed his right hand on the soft surface, and, digging his nails into it, ripped out a large, colourful piece. Holding it with both hands he doubted its purpose, was it just an ornament or...

_Could it make him grow? _

Realising that there was no other way of testing it than eating it, he took the smallest of bites, chewed, and swallowed dreadfully; he had heard of toxic mushrooms, and he had already taken a risk by drinking that shrinking potion. Could he get away unharmed twice?

It appeared that he indeed could: his body once again, began tingling and gladly regained its original size. Sadly enough, he, once more, was met with the same problem as before.

"Damn it," Ciel cursed, and, by the use of his hands and arms, desperately tried to cover himself up

_This was going to be a very long day._

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><p><strong><strong>Author's Note:<strong> **Al-right, two - no, three things:

**One:** Do you guys prefer Author's Notes at the beginning or the end of a story? I don't really care, but I know some people do.

**Two:** The OVA's canon was changed a bit. Okay a lot… But the original scene did not fit well with my story. Plus, it would be pointless to just copy the OVA, then this wouldn't be _my version_. By the way, this scene was inspired by the 'Original Alice' - as was the previous and, possibly, will be some future chapters - which I don't own. (Check _the prologue_ for the full disclaimer)

**Three:** To explain the end of the chapter: Ciel's pretty Alice clothes getting ripped. I wanted to experiment with different costumes, that's also why Ran-Mao is wearing something different (*cough*is wearing _something_*cough*). So, yes, Ciel gets a new costume! And, no, it's not the pink ball gown. But, don't worry; it's Ciel, so it won't be very, well, manly.


	5. Chapter 4 Difficulties

Chapter 4 – Difficulties

Regaining his original height surely simplified wandering through this land of _madness_. Being bare, however, did not.

Ciel had spent a great amount of time diverging around; constantly hiding himself behind bushes and trees in fear of someone seeing him. Following the most thick-grown part of the garden (currently, it looked more like a gigantic forest to him, instead somebody's backyard) had led him to being more lost than before, and had left him frustrated and quite upset.

Finally, after endlessly travelling, he had come to a halt by someone's - well, he supposed someone lived in there…

He had found himself standing (hidden behind a large oak) in front of a house; a large house, a house of which every inch was coloured in a different shade of pink. Pink bricks, pink wood, pink curtains, pink flowers, pink laces and bows…

_Elizabeth would have loved it, no doubt._

But when he had looked closer, he noticed fresh, just-done laundry hanging from a line close by. Ciel, after inspecting if the coast was clear (he could have sworn he heard Elizabeth voice, although the mysterious foods he had eaten had probably gotten to his head), dashed into the direction of the clothes and had snatched the first (and not pink) item he could find of the twine. He had hidden himself in a nearby bush and changed into his claimed prize.

Any clothes were better than no clothes.

Even if they were 'borrowed'... And even it the happened to be a knee-length, pretty, black and white striped, with matching lace and roses adorned _dress…_

And now, Ciel was once again aimlessly travelling, hopelessly chasing his butler-turned-bunny.

_That bastard!_

Ciel could barely put his anger into words; how dared Sebastian, to make him follow him around in the strangest of places! To put him in danger and odd situations and ridiculous clothing!

Ciel fumed and stomped, still bare footed, into a clearing, hoping to find something or, if necessary, someone to get him out of here. He would wait at home, in his mansion, in his own clothes, for Sebastian to return, and would spent the time he waited, thinking up various methods of punishing his demon butler.

_Revenge was one of his specialities, after all. _

In the clearing he found no exits; he did, on the other hand, find a certain person.

"You!" Ciel exclaimed, angrily marching towards his opponent.

Dangling upside down from a large, bulky tree was Grell Sutcliff. He was dressed, as usual, in red; but even so, he did not recall his aunt's murderer possessing a pair of purple-striped cat ears and matching tail!

And Ciel had thought that he, himself, looked preposterous!

The death-god chuckled in a highly irritating way, and hoisted himself up a tree branch; curled up and looked Ciel up and down. And then, he suddenly disappeared and reappeared right behind the young boy.

Letting out a sound of surprise, Ciel jumped.

"W-what - how did you do that?!"

The cat ignored him and _floated_ languidly trough the air, emerging and disappearing frequently; from time to time he didn't even fade completely, leaving his tail, his ears, or that eerie, pointed smile behind.

"Cut that out!" Ciel yelled. _This man!_

Grell hummed in annoyance, but obeyed him, becoming wholly visible in front of him.

"You should be nice to me," he huffed, "since I am the one to guide you!"

"Guide me? To where?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, the gods, they have chosen me – me! – to lead you to where you must go!"

Ciel stared; he could hardly believe that someone had sent him a guide, but if this was the way to get out of here, he wouldn't look a given horse in the mouth.

"Fine then, where should I go?"

"Follow me…"

About a quarter of a hour of walking later, they arrived at a two-way, split by a tree, to which two signs where nailed; one said: _Mad Hatter_, the other: _March Hare_. Grell curled himself around the tree and looked at Ciel expectantly. Ciel glanced back - waiting.

After a while, Ciel's quiet façade broke:

"Well?!"

"Hmm?"

"What way do I go?"

"Well, if I were you I would go both ways, both! These two types are complete opposites, but each is good enough of a man to get me exited!"

"I'm not interested in your preference of men, you sodomite! I want to know which way to go!"

"Ah, such hard words for such a little girl!"

Ciel felt his insides boiling; this was the second time in one day that he was mistaken for a girl, and, even though he was now dressed as one, he did not like it one bit.

"How dare you! I am male!"

Grell's eyes welled up, and Ciel wished he hadn't spoken. The one half of 'Jack the Ripper' caught him in a bone-crushing hug and began weeping on his shoulder.

"You and me," he sobbed, "we are the same! Caught in this cruel world! Being born the wrong gender! Not being able to be with the one you love!"

"Let go of me! I am nothing like you!"

The weeping man did let go of him, only to raise his head to the sky, his raised his hands as if he was holding something out to God. He began to speak of 'true love' and 'cruelty' and 'red strings of fate', and Ciel had almost left him standing there, caught up in his own little world if he hadn't heard him utter a certain phrase.

_The White Rabbit. _

The shards of his forsaken hope seemed to glue themselves together; almost excitedly, he asked if Grell had seen this 'White Rabbit' - what he suspected _Sebastian_ was called here.

As expected, the cat went into a fit of praises and disturbing fantasies of his butler, but he managed to get one thing out of him: Grell had seen him recently, in company of this 'Mad Hatter' and 'March Hare'.

"Take me to him," Ciel ordered.

"The Mad Hatter?"

"No! The White Rabbit!"

Grell looked him over, and questioned suspiciously:

"Why do you want to see him this badly?"

Ciel stared exasperated and replied that this 'rabbit' was his butler and that he had come to take him back.

"You've come to steal my rabbit away from me?"

"No! He is not yours! He's mine- I mean, he's my butler!" Ciel felt his cheeks flare up.

"No, no, no! You want him all to yourself, don't you? You want to take him from me! Well he loves me; I am the Juliet to his Romeo!"

Ciel felt like screaming, raging (he could not believe the words that left this _idiot's_ mouth!) and he was about to so, when he realised a difficulty in that plan: up until now, Grell had been the only one that had actually seen his servant, and, knowing Grell's stalker-like ways, would be the only one to find him back.

If Ciel didn't think up a scheme, Grell would leave him standing there, and, no matter how appealing that sounded, Ciel would be left alone to wander around until he ran into the next mad person or possibly died of hunger or thirst. He really had no choice but letting the crazy death-god guide him.

Dread and embarrassment filling his body, Ciel said:

"Fine, you are right. I did come here to 'steal him from you', and I will! And you better come with me to him to make sure that I don't!"

"I shall," Grell yelled back, and clapped his hands. Behind him the tree split in two, the signs falling off onto the ground and the two ways vanishing, as it revealed one path leading straight ahead. Grell marched in front of him, fuming angrily, into the distance (occasionally, vanishing and appearing, as well), and after some long strides, he turned to Ciel:

"I'll take you to the Hare and the Hatter, that's where _my_ _Romeo_ was the last time I saw him, so he can tell you that he loves _me_. Are you coming or not?"

"Fine," Ciel huffed, and, all while muttering and cursing under his breath, followed the man deeper into the forest.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Author's Note:<strong> **I'm not sure that I like the way this chapter turned out... I wrote this, mainly, to distract myself and cheer myself up, since my great-aunt died quite recently. I actually did not plan for it to turn out this way… but, once I start typing, I tend to discard my 'script'. Plus, I'm just happy that managed to write something.


	6. Chapter 5 Welcome to the Tea Party

Chapter 5 – Welcome to the Tea Party

Ciel regretted his decision to let the mad death-god guide him almost immediately. He should have walked away; getting lost was far better than getting where he wanted to go - if that meant that he would have to spent his journey in the company of this - this _idiot_!

They had only been walking for five minutes, but, to Ciel, it felt as if they had been travelling for at least five hours. He was incredibly tired, his uncovered feet ached terribly; he couldn't even remember the last time he had a proper meal, and the thought of food caused his stomach to rumble painfully.

And this all, wasn't even his largest concern. No, what troubled him the most was his guide, or better said, the fact that his guide never seemed to shut his bloody pie-hole!

The whole time, Grell just kept going on-and-on about 'his White Rabbit' and how Ciel would never steal him away from him, and how much Grell believed his 'Romeo' to love him, and how much Grell, himself, loved him.

On, and on, and on, quite like broken record, unstoppable and highly annoying.

Ciel sighed and pressed the tips of his fingers to his throbbing temples, desperately trying to shut the other's voice out.

"Hey, you! Are you listening to me?"

"What?!"

"I said that you shouldn't think that he will ever choose you over me! You aren't half the woman I am!"

Ciel felt like arguing over the word 'woman', but decided against it. Why would he bother himself with such trivial sayings? As if Sebastian would ever choose Grell over him! Ciel was his master; Sebastian was the one to obey his orders and to stay by his side until the end of time!

But a queasy feeling filled Ciel's empty stomach; as of lately, Sebastian hadn't followed his orders, and neither had he treated Ciel like his master.

Perhaps, in this place, Ciel was not his master. Perhaps, here, Sebastian was just a free demon (was he even still a demon?).

_Was there a possibility that, if Sebastian was no longer his butler, he would actually prefer Grell? _

Ciel shook his head violently from left to right, like a dog trying to get water from out of his ears; how ridiculous he was being! Why would he care who this Sebastian preferred?

_Memories of an ignorant rose: "Say! Is he your lover?"_

_An annoying god: "You've come to steal my rabbit away from me?"_

_And himself: "No! He is not yours! He's mine!"_

The young boy gave a start, feeling his cheeks burn. He could barely comprehend his own thoughts. He decided that this place, and those nourishments, and this_ dress _must have been getting to his head, since he was almost thinking of Sebastian as his…

Well, his…

"Brat!"

Grell was addressing him, and pulling him away from his inappropriate thoughts, Ciel angrily responded with:

"What now?"

"We are here, you ungrateful creature, you…"

Grell trailed of, stepping aside to let Ciel have a look; without Ciel noticing, they had approached an open gate, and what lay behind it made Ciel's mouth drop open into an 'oh'.

In front of him stood a ten feet long table, accompanied by numerous chairs, of which three of them were already occupied by laughing individuals; Ciel discarded them, however, in favour for what was on the table:

Endless towers of cups and saucers and teapots (some of them broken or shattered) and all kinds of tea and many, many, many sweets: cakes and biscuits and pastries, in all different shapes and colours and flavours.

Taking it all in, Ciel could hear his stomach rumbling (and Grell making a sound of disgust) and he walked, uninvited, towards the table.

Grell, though, with his ability to disappear and reappear, beat him to it, and seated himself shamelessly in the lap of a tall stranger wearing an odd-looking, large hat.

"Hatter," he whined, "where is my rabbit?"

The Hatter raised his head and Ciel gave a start as he recognised the Undertaker; looking around the table he also recognised William T. Spears (bearing hare ears) and that strange fellow with both blond and dark hair (and now, mouse-like ears and a tail), who was fast asleep on the table, snoring loudly.

While Ciel had been identifying his company, the Undertaker had an unexplainable outburst of giggles, seemingly unstoppable.

"Hatter!" Grell insisted, the chuckles shaking him.

But the Hatter ignored him and turned his attention towards Ciel; still chuckling, he said:

"Well, well, who did you bring with you, Ches?"

"What? Oh, this brat is Alice…"

"The _Alice_?"

"I don't know! All I know is that she's here to steal my–"

"Excuse me," Ciel interrupted, "I am not Alice, and I have come here to find my butler, the 'White Rabbit'... Who is not _yours_," he added, addressing Grell.

"You little–"

"Cheshire, that's no way to speak to a guest! Miss Not Alice, come and have a seat. Would you like a cup of tea?"

The Undertaker smiled as pleasantly as he could and ushered Cheshire from his lap. Ciel thanked him and took the seat that the Undertaker indicated to, all while sending Grell (who had taken a seat near the silent, dark-haired reaper) a triumphant grin.

A cup of steaming _Earl Gray_ was presented in front of him, and Ciel drank eagerly from it; it was not as good as Sebastian made it, but it was good enough to quench his thirst. He took three pastries from the plate offered to him, wolfing them down.

The Undertaker sniggered at his appetite, making Ciel's cheeks turn pink, and leaned on the palm of his hand, studying him.

"So, miss Not Alice," he began, "do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Ciel stared, halfway through his fourth pastry.

"Pardon?"

"Why is a _raven_, like a _writing desk_?"

The riddle and the reason behind it, baffled Ciel. He chewed slowly as he thought. Eventually, the only thing he could come up with was:

"Because Poe wrote on both."

The Mad Hatter (Ciel thought that the name suited him very well) had another laughing fit, holding onto his stomach as tears streamed down his face. Ciel looked at him, perplexed, wondering why his answer seemed to amuse the man so.

Once he had slightly calmed down, Ciel dared to ask:

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"Why, I have no idea!"

This time the whole table (save for the slumbering Ronald, who gave the impression to be dead to the world) burst into laughter, Grell taking this opportunity to latch himself onto William, who, to Ciel's surprise, allowed him to do so and cackled as well. They took their time in calming down, while Ciel purposely forgot his manners and helped himself to more food and tea.

Their laughter, though, was soon interrupted by mumbles of the still-sleeping (how did he manage that, through all the racket?) mouse-like death-god:

"Down with the Bloody Redd Hede…"

A pregnant pause fell, as Ronald slept on and the group stopped laughing immediately, turning oddly serious. Ciel found himself brave (and certainly curious) enough to ask the Undertaker what he meant.

"The Bloody Redd Hede," he explained painfully to Ciel, "is what we call the Queen of Hearts; she rules Underland."

"Underland? Is that what this place is called?"

The Undertaker nodded, and Ciel rolled the name around in his head; to him this wasn't so much of an 'Underland' more of a… a…

_A Wonderland._

"What has the Queen of Hearts done," Ciel enquired.

"Off with your head!" Ciel jumped when Grell cried out; clearly deciding that he had not received enough attention in the past few minutes.

"What?"

"That's what she does!"

Ciel looked uncertainly at the Hatter who, by use of a long-nailed finger and a screeching sound, mimed a beheading.

"She lobs of heads?" Ciel questioned in a hushed voice. The Undertaker nodded slowly. Ciel wanted to know why, and he was answered, that everyone who did not agree with her, or disliked her, was killed - just like that.

Ciel fell quiet. Punishing someone, throwing them in jail; he did not think strange of that. But cutting off their heads? Beheading was no longer a common practise in the England he came from, for good reasons.

He had fallen into a completely different world. Were everyone looked like people he knew, but they were not in any way like he remembered them; and neither did they remember him. Which meant that, as he had thought before, while he had come here looking for Sebastian, the rabbit he would encounter here was perhaps no longer his butler. And this Sebastian would most likely not recall him either...

He was about to ask why the people of Underland let her do that, when Grell once again interrupted them:

"My Bunny!" Grell squealed, jumping up from his chair, and, possibly in excitement, forgetting that he could transport himself, dashed off into the direction of the new guest, who had just emerged from the forest, and walked himself through the gate.

A black haired, tailcoat wearing, rabbit-eared guest:

_Sebastian…_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Welcome back, Sebastian, we've missed you…

Thank you all for the lovely reviews! Let's try to get past 20 shall we? :D Also, my condolences to _WobblyJelly_, I hope you feel better soon.

Oh, and I uploaded an sketch of Ciel's dress on my DA account: gallery/#/d4g19pj. Don't forget to WATCH me on DA! :D


	7. Chapter 6 Meetings

Chapter 6 – Meetings

Ciel had been solely focused on finding his once-butler; on, literally, having to chase the demon down in this so-called Underland.

He had never expected to be the one being found. Nevertheless, there _he_ was! Dressed in his usual tail-coat, the once-butler stood proudly, carmine eyes bright and sharp; pocket watch in hand; familiar, memorable, divine in his nature.

And Ciel, stunned by his sudden appearance, found himself speechless. He stared vacantly, wide eyed (both were currently uncovered, even though the right one was slightly hidden beneath his gray-ish-coloured fringe), mouth formed into a shapely 'o', as Sebastian was greeted by an excessively excited Grell – squealing and jumping and nearly humping – and when the redhead was knocked down and out, into the ground and was dragged off by a slightly annoyed (and could that possibly be envy, reflected in his eyes?) William.

Ciel kept quiet through all the turmoil, and uncharacteristically waited until the other spoke:

"Good evening, Hatter. I apologise for arriving unannounced; I do hope that it is of no inconvenience"

"Not at all," the Hatter answered pleasantly, "not at all! Would you care for a cup of tea?"

"No, thank you, I'm in quite a hurry. I'm afraid that I am terribly behind schedule," the rabbit replied, looking weary.

"This letter," he continued, "contains all the vital information from the Red Frond. Please, handle it with care; we can not permit us any mistakes," he concluded, glancing into the direction of the still unconscious Grell.

"How can we be sure that we are not making a mistake by trusting you?" the March Hare said harshly.

"Well, well, mister Hare, we have been though this; mister Rabbit is on our side."

"But –"

"Mister Hare"

The death-god fell quiet, albeit reluctantly, muttering on about 'how you should never trust rabbits' and 'rumours' he had heard; Sebastian and he exchanged glares; the Cheshire Cat and the Dormouse (although the first was forced to do so) slept on.

"Excuse me, but what is the 'Red Frond'?" Ciel had rediscovered his voice, and the dialogue had reawakened his curiosity.

Due to his previous silence, his presence had gone by unnoticed, but now Sebastian looked at him for the first time, ears twitching in surprise.

"Ah, how rude of me!" the Undertaker exclaimed, "Mister Rabbit, this is miss Not Alice; miss Not Alice, this is mister White Rabbit: our partner in bringing down the Bloody Redd Hede."

Sebastian bowed deeply, taking Ciel's bare hand in his and placing a feather-light kiss upon it.

"It is a pleasure, my Lady." His eyes sparkled beneath his glasses at the obvious salmon colour that had begun to rise to the young boy's cheeks.

Ciel jerked back his hand – the place that had been kissed tingled rather oddly – and he frowned somewhat deathly at both the Hatter and his former butler.

"It's Ciel!"

"Very well, Miss Ciel, then," the Hatter said, cheerfully, using his long nails to open the envelope the Rabbit had handed him. Not at all bothered by Ciel's constant changing of names.

Ciel hung his head, running his fingers through his hair and letting out a frustrated sigh, it was just no use talking to these people; they were all mad. They were all bloody mad!

Ciel shook his head as the Hatter read through the contents of the envelope, and as Sebastian kept opening and closing his silver pocket watch, the item making a bothersome clicking noise.

"Interesting, very interesting…"

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you little Miss Ciel, not yet, not yet…"

Sebastian snapped his watch closed, once more, "I must be going now," he said, black eyebrows coming together in a scowl.

"Mister Rabbit, can't you stay a little longer?" the Undertaker pressed.

"No, no, I must be off. The castle of the White Queen is quite far; I have to reach it before sunset, or I'll be captured. It was a pleasure to see and meet you all." He turned and was about to walk away (God forbid it, if he'd start hopping!) when Ciel could stand this no longer.

"Wait!"

Much to his surprise, Sebastian finally obeyed, turning on his heels, and tilting his head to the side, he asked:

"What ails you, my Lady?"

"Take me with you."

"My apologies, but I can't possibly do so; this is a voyage far too dangerous for such a lady as yourself."

"I can protect myself very well, thank you!"

"I do not doubt that, but endangering you would be very unwise."

Ciel raised himself, fist forming into balls by his sides. Anger boiled inside him; how dared Sebastian to deny him: his master!

"I refuse to stay here with this lot!" he exclaimed, muttering a 'no offence' to the Hatter, who kept on smiling gleefully, tapping the handle of his teacup with his long nail.

The White Rabbit sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I can understand that," he muttered. He looked sternly at the young boy – posing as a girl, his eyes meeting Ciel's.

"Do you," he began, "do you understand that travelling through this part of Underland, at a time such as this, is very, very dangerous? Do you understand that if you get involved in the battle against the the Bloody Redd Hede, that you could die?"

Ciel could feel his stomach tightening; a curious feeling, only to be identified as fear, settled within him, chilling him from the inside. But the Earl pushed it aside.

"Yes, I understand," he replied stubbornly.

"Very well," Sebastian said.

"Please, follow me then, my Lady."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>I'm Back! :D I'm not sure if I like this chapter… It's a bit too short. The next chapter will be better and longer, I promise. I can promise that, because I have already written it. *smirks*

_Happy New Year!_


	8. Chapter 7 Through Underland

Chapter 7 – Through Underland

The White Rabbit's pace was quick, and Ciel found it hard to keep up with the tall, long-legged man. He was more or less running as he followed Sebastian into a deeper and far darker part of the woods.

They had left the once-reapers, a welcome change, and dashed off into the direction of the White Queen's castle, or so Ciel assumed. None of his questions had been answered thus far, a fact that angered him greatly. Was it expected of him to just 'go along' with everything?

Sweat had begun to form on the young Earl's forehead, and, by use of the back of his hand, he tried to wipe it away. The action was futile, though, when fresh droplets of transpiration began to form themselves as quickly as they had been removed from his face. Underland was something of a sun drenched place and the hot air made Ciel's chest burn and heave with too rapid inhalations.

He coughed into the moist palm of his hand, his throat aching.

"C-can we h-h-halt?"

"No, if we delay ourselves for too long we can be captured and killed by the Red Knights," Sebastian said, his tone firm and his eyes on the road ahead.

"S-stop," Ciel coughed, "Ple-e-ase..."

"As I said before we can not – My Lady!"

The younger had fallen to his knees, coughing and spitting and sputtering, body shaking with build-up effort, and trembling as he emptied his stomach of the remnants of all the sweets he had consumed before going into the meadow.

The bile burned his throat, but the shame in his chest burned more and he refused to look Sebastian in the eye, as the male knelt beside him, brushing the damp strands of hair from his face.

"My deepest apologies, my Lady, I should have listened…" he whispered, his right hand coming up to rub soft circles on Ciel's back.

"I'm fine," the latter insisted. He felt weak, collapsing like this; and he hated that emotion with true fury.

Sebastian retrieved a silken handkerchief from his breast pocket, which Ciel accepted to wipe his mouth with, the taste of gag (and weakness) still on his tongue.

"Perhaps we should rest for a moment," the rabbit suggested carefully.

"I thought we couldn't, due to the – what did you call them?"

"Red Knights. And, indeed, it would be unwise, but under these circumstances…"

"No," Ciel insisted; they would not get captured (or worse: _killed_) because of him.

"We can continue," he said persistently, "Only, walk a little slower…"

They raised themselves (Ciel refusing the rabbit's assistance, batting his hands away) and continued their journey. Sebastian walked slowly now, his glass-rimmed eyes barely leaving the young boy's features, his expression fairly worried. Ciel disliked that look and set himself on looking at his surroundings, careful not to turn his head too fast.

At this pace he could observe the scenery: the forest was becoming reasonably darker; not only were the leaves of the plants and the vegetation a darker shade, the trees were planted closer together, as well, letting less sunlight shine through. To Ciel, and his burning cheeks, this was not an undesirable occurrence.

He fingered the hem of his dress; Sebastian's stare was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable and he felt the need to say something:

"So, these 'Red Knights', what are they?"

Sebastian seemed surprised, but pleased to answer. In a hushed voice he began explaining.

"The Red Knights are somewhat strange creatures, for they are shaped like cards – playing cards, each with their own number; some say they were men once, but no-one truly knows. In any case, they are the Red Queen's army; she controls them."

"The Red Queen, she rules this country, correct?"

"Yes, though she _overrules_ more."

Ciel let the words sink in. An army of cards? That could hardly be strong, now could it? But if the Red Queen truly 'overruled', as Sebastian had phrased it, then they must be.

"And the White Queen?" he questioned.

"Her Castle is where we are headed now – sadly enough we have to pass through Red Territory to get there, that is why we must be very careful, the Knights could attack us at any moment," he paused to glance ahead.

"The White Queen," he continued, "is on our side. Or better said: we are on her side. She was the Queen of Underland until not-so long ago. It was… better then; I doubt that you have seen much, but once you will enter the Red Kingdom, you will understand.

The Red Queen took Underland over by force. Her White Majesty had just recently become a widow, and was in no condition to fight; she lost her kingdom."

Sebastian and he locked eyes; his were full of determination, while Ciel's continued to hold confusion. He did not know why, but he wanted to know everything about this wondrous country; everything about this Sebastian.

"We'll take Underland back," the White Rabbit spoke, "Not many of us are left, the Red Frond (our hideout close to the Red Queen's castle) has been destroyed, men and all. Many, many villagers (men, women and children), who were in opposition to her, were decapitated or killed otherwise. People live in fear, one wrong move and you are a hanged man.

That is why we have to win; for the people of Underland, however few are left. This land belongs to the White Queen, and to us."

Sebastian concluded his speech with that, and even though his lips were unmoving, his eyes spoke a thousand volumes.

Ciel was stunned; he had been in this Wonderland for quite some time now, but he had yet to encounter a Red Knight or anyone out there to kill him. His path had been full of madness, true, but not of murder.

"Underland seemed fine to me…"

"Where have you been, then?"

"I don't know, a room full of doors, a garden of talking roses; heaps of woods… I passed a pink house! More woods, and at the Hatter's and those other idiots' table…" Ciel considered his journey and it seemed more and more of a dream.

_A very, very odd dream. _

Sebastian was visibly surprised:

"Those parts of Underland still exist? I thought they had been destroyed in the fire, I must alert the Hatter on it later…"

The Earl gave a start, and he began to sweat again; fear coursed through him.

_Fire…_

"My Lady?" Sebastian's voice was concerned, for a second time. He most likely thought that Ciel was going to be sick again. Ciel swallowed and pretended to be well.

"There was a fire here?" he inquired evenly.

"Yes," answered Sebastian carefully, "The Red Queen burned most of Underland down to its grounds, not much is left."

"Oh."

Ciel stared ahead, looking but, in reality, not seeing anything. He tried to muse on something else, anything but fire and his horrific memories. They were nearing a place more sinister and more eerie, Ciel could no longer hear chirping birds or running water; all was silent, hushed, and ghostly. The image did not help to calm his nerves.

He jumped at the slightest of noises, and gave a start as the back of Sebastian's hand (unintentionally or not) brushed his. Ciel was overwhelmed by the sudden desire to hold it in his own; and to walk hand-in-hand with his former butler.

His personal kind of fire rose to the young boy's cheeks, setting them ablaze. How could he have had such a thought! Sebastian was his servant, his male-servant!

_Was he going mad himself?_

He did not have enough time to complicate that notion, though, when the Rabbit ceased his stride, coming to a halt in front of a slight gap between two tick oaks. Ciel gazed through, glad to be able to lay his centre of attention on something else than his companion, and saw what made the once-devil hesitant to resume their trip.

An open field lay ahead; and while it could have been town once, currently, there was nothing more present than the bits and pieces of burned wood, broken stone and shattered items. Ciel now understood what Sebastian had meant, as he gazed at the remnants of the life that had once been.

A broken, porcelain doll lay not far ahead, its golden hair smouldered away, and Ciel could feel anger boiling up inside him. He knew what it was like to lose everything; his home, his family.

_How could one person be so cruel?_

Sebastian turned to him, sinking to his knees until his face was in level with Ciel's.

"You have to listen carefully to me now, my Lady" he spoke severely, "If I say duck, you'll duck; if I say run, you'll run. This is Red Territory, dangerous territory, if they notice us on this ground, we are condemned."

"What was this?"

"This was one of the most joyous villages of Underland, and the Red Queen destroyed it; residents and all. Mothers, children… A good friend of my lived here with his master, they were killed."

A shiver ran down Ciel's spine at the look in Sebastian's eyes, and he closed his own for a moment, nodding in acknowledgement.

"We must be quick, and very quiet," Sebastian whispered, his rabbit ears standing at attention to take notes of whatever a thing that seemed suspicious. He raised himself, "Follow me," he muttered, guiding Ciel though the former town.

Ciel trotted behind as quickly as his short, thin legs could carry him. The ashen ground irritated his bare feet, but he neglected that; he did not like it here at all, and wanted to be gone from here as rapidly as was possible.

His left foot came in contact with something akin to a bone and the horrible cracking sound it made, fell like a gunshot to his ears. He froze, he could feel the skin of the underside of his foot breaking, colouring his flesh and the ground scarlet red.

Sebastian stilled, as well, his eyes moving from Ciel to the forest they had emerged from. Ciel also turned around, eyes widening as the ruffling of leaves and branches echoed around them; The pain in his foot was numbed by shock, when a mass of soldiers came into view, dashing towards him and Sebastian, swords and spears drawn.

They were indeed shaped akin to cards, with arms and legs attached; their supposed heads were hidden by silver helmets; their weapons shone in their razor-sharp glory.

_Red Knights…_

"Run."

Ciel's eyes moved towards Sebastian, whose own eyes did not leave the soldiers, who were approaching at a fast pace.

"Run!" Sebastian ordered him.

They scampered of into the direction of the White Castle, which could be seen in the distance further north. The soldiers were swift, nevertheless, their armours clattering in their chase; Ciel ran as fast as he could possibly manage, but, even so, was left to throttle after Sebastian, who could sprint with far more ferocity.

One of the Red Knights managed to cut him off, but instead of attacking the young Earl, he (Ciel assumed that they were male) went for the taller rabbit. Sebastian grabbed a tick twig from the ground, trying to fight off the Knight. Ciel realised, and horror filled him as he did so, that Sebastian was not a demon in this place, and so, did not possess inhuman strength. One knight he managed to defeat, and using the leftover sword, managed to defeat another; Ciel grasped whatsoever he could find and slammed into the Knights.

Contrary to their card-like appearance were they awfully strong. One of them, his number being a heart's nine, seized Ciel around his waist and threw him to the ground a few feet ahead. Crawling to his feet, he caught the sight of Sebastian being surrounded by the Red Army; when their eyes met, he repeated his order to run, ("I'm not leaving without you!") throwing something into the boy's direction. Ciel had to dive to the ground to catch it, and when he looked at it he realised it to be Sebastian's richly engraved pocket watch.

"Sebastian!"

"RUN!"

With a feeling of dread in his stomach he turned, the chain of Sebastian's watch clasped firmly in this right hand, darting of towards the north and towards the castle of the White Queen. He did not look back as the Red Knights captured his rabbit, and as they dragged him off, but his ears caught the terrible scene. Fluid began to cloud his vision, which he dedicated to the gash in his sole and the tightness in his chest.

A gigantic white gate doomed up before of him and he headed for it; he rushed over a gravelled lawn, stumbling frequently, and almost collapsed into the gate itself.

Left and right of the entrance stood two towers, chess-like towers, with faces and all, who seized him by his arms.

"You may not enter!" they echoed, voices deep and harsh.

"Please," Ciel gasped, his asthma interfering with his speech, "I h-have to see the W-w-white Queen – Sebastian! He is in d-danger; they will k-kill him! Please!"

Both of his arms were held hostage, one by each guard; he tried to break free, neither of them bugging.

"Please!"

A voice came from the other side of the gate:

"Hey, are you okay?"

Ciel looked up at a boy clad in white; his golden hair held back from his features by white hair-pins, and his green-blue eyes wide.

"Finny! Finny, g-get the White Queen! T-they've got Sebas– they have got the White R-rabbit!"

Finnian's stared, "Mister White Rabbit?" he hushed.

"Yes!" Ciel yanked his right arm from the chess-piece's grip, presenting the watch. Finnian looked him up and down, and then turned around towards the castle:

"Your White Majesty! Your White Highness!"

Ciel leaned back against one of the towering guards, knees shaking and legs trembling; he coughed and closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion taking its possession of him.

Footsteps announced themselves, gravel clattering around. A concerned female voice addressed him and the White Knights:

"Let her go, open the gates!"

His arms were released, and Ciel sunk to the ground, pebbles biting into his bare knees.

"My goodness!" the White Queen exclaimed, throwing her white-clothed arms around him, helping him sit up, "My dear, are you well?"

Ciel gawked at her, multicoloured eyes large; one demoniacally purple, one cerulean blue: the latter indistinguishable to those of the Queen.

"M-mom?"

And the white vision his dissimilar eyes let through, turned black.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>D:

Please, take some of your precious time to write me a **review**! They make me write faster and better, you know. And you can't convince me that you do not want to know what happens next! (I want to know, too!)


	9. Chapter 8 The White Castle

Chapter 8 – The White Castle

When Ciel awoke, he laid in one of the most comfortable beds, his body was covered in the highest class of white – with white flowers embroidered – satin sheets, and his head rested on a soft white cushion.

"Hmm…" Ciel turned to bury his face into the pillow, keeping his eyes closed to hold the pale daylight at bay; it had been dream, after all.

_Nothing more than a nightmare. _

Frowning, he remembered that he had seen his mother, play-acting the part of the White Queen. Nevertheless, his parents were dead and they could not possibly be prancing around in some sort of Wonderland.

Ciel turned the events over in his mind; he had clearly hallucinated his fall into that Underland, his voyages had been simply a delusion, the citizens he'd met merely a figure of his imagination; the Cheshire Cat, the Hatter, the White Rabbit –

At the remembrance of his butler being captured and dragged off to be killed by the so-called Red Knights, Ciel's frown deepened. He stretched himself out under his cool blankets, wriggling his toes, a habit of him.

Ciel's eyes instantly snapped open at the pain he felt coursing though his left foot, a response to his movement, and, tugging the covers away from his body, he glanced down his form:

That preposterous dress was still present, and Sebastian's pocket watch lay at his feet – of which the left one was currently covered in thick white bandages.

"Oh, good, you are awake." A reassuring, feminine voice close to his right spoke.

The White Queen, impossibly akin to Rachel Phantomhive, approached him, carrying a porcelain teapot and a teacup. She placed them on a small night-stand to the right of the bed Ciel lay in, and settled herself on the mattress, placing her small hands on his quivering shoulders to cease their trembling. Ciel had not even been aware of the fact that he had been shaking.

"Easy now," she spoke softly, "There is no need to exhaust yourself."

"W-what happened?" Ciel questioned, his head whirling dangerously.

The White Queen snatched another pillow from the bed, placing it smartly behind him so he could lean back against it.

"You fainted, my dear. How do you feel?"

"Terrible," Ciel answered, trying to force down his panic and push away the feeling of shame. The Queen filled the cup with steaming brown liquid, and handed it to him. He drank in earnest, the heat burning his throat. Nonetheless, ice-cold shivers raked his frame, and his vision began to tilt. He looked into the oceanic, worrisome eyes in front of him.

_This must be a mad dream! It has to be!_

The White Queen leaned towards him, cleaning his forehead with a damp linen cloth.

"Sebastian," Ciel whispered, the butler (and the verdict that awaited the rabbit) being foremost on his mind, and he grasped the watch by its chain from the bed.

"Shh," the Queen took the empty cup from him and caressed his cheek with the back of her hand, "You should rest; the fever is on you."

She kindly forced him to lie back down, and Ciel realised that he could not reject her pressing, but familiar hands. The covers were pulled up to his face, and a few strands of hair were brushed out of his eyes.

"I had a daughter once," the Queen muttered; more to herself than to Ciel, "You look a great deal like her…"

"What?"

"Hmm, just sleep, dear. You need your rest."

She raised herself, smoothing out the large skirts of her wealthy, white dress, and, taking the tea with her, left him on his own; smiling reassuringly before doing so.

Ciel turned the timepiece over in his hands, studying it. It was exactly like he remembered it to be, only instead of the Phantomhive emblem, this one held an ornately engraved coat of arms which, undoubtedly, belonged to the kingdom of Underland.

Where was Sebastian at this moment? Was the watch the only thing that was left of him?

_No!_

Sebastian would not let himself be exterminated so easily, demon or not! Not to mention, that Ciel himself was in no condition to rescue him, now.

He considered sleep, and it did not seem all that unfavourable. As soon as he closed his eyes, Ciel dozed off, with the silver item clutched firmly in his palm.

* * *

><p>When Ciel had woken sometime in the late afternoon (the sun had started its setting and coloured the sky in an orange-like glow) he had felt much better already, due to his nice, dreamless nap. He had felt calmer, too (though, it was most likely the remains of sleep had still dulled his brain).<p>

He had looked around his room for the first time since arriving, and had (foolishly) realised only then, that every inch was coloured white; the walls and the ceiling were painted pale, the bedding and all other textile were coloured blank, and each piece of wooden furniture was made out of the lightest, off-white, shade of wood Ciel had ever seen.

Even so, Ciel considered it quite nice. His single bed stood sideways against one of the walls, with a large wardrobe pressed to the wall across of it; a looking-glass hung above a dressing table (on which an assortment of grooming and toilette items had been laid), and a glass tea-table with two matching chairs stood in the middle of the room. It wasn't all that large, but it was pleasing enough that someone had taken care of him.

The table had presented a large, rectangular, (and obviously) white box, with an open letter lying on top of it.

The letter had been from the Queen herself, saying that she hoped that he was feeling better and that she had left him a pail of water and some clothing.

Ciel, who had been covered with sweat, because his fever had broken, had sponged himself (quite clumsily) down with a small cloth and had clothed himself.

The dressing-box on the table had held, needless to say, another _dress, _since the Queen clearly thought him a girl. It was white, layered, and adorned with lace and a checker-board pattern. The last detail, Ciel secretly liked, and he found himself blushing as he pulled it over his head; he would still have preferred male garments, but he could hardly go complaining to _the Queen_, whom had showed him nothing but kindness.

When he had looked himself over in his mirror he would have liked to just disappear into the other world some people believed to lay behind the looking-glass, but a Phantomhive did not give up. If he had a chance of saving Sebastian (how strange it was to be, for once, the one with that peculiar task), then he would grasp it with both hands. He had fallen into this Wonderland to retrieve his butler, and he would not leave without the man by his side!

And now, the boy was left to wander through the gigantic White Castle in search for Her White Majesty herself. The gash in his left foot was in need of new bandages and hurt quite a bit, but there were more pressing matters that needed his attention.

He had hung the pocket watch, by its chain, around his neck, and Ciel often caught himself unintentionally fingering the cold metal, running his fingertips over the engraved details. He felt some odd kind of reassurance as he did so, as if the item brought him closer to both his aim and his butler.

The last time Ciel had seen the 'real' Sebastian, had been his Latin lesson; it had been only a day and a night, but it seemed such an impossibly long time ago, when the butler had suddenly grown rabbit appendages and had dashed out of his study.

He found himself enclosing the article again, and shook his head to rid himself of the tight feeling that had settled in his chest. He had to focus on this moment and this moment alone; not on what had been, or what could be. For now he had to find the White Queen, and from there he would manage.

Ciel quickened his pace and almost literary bumped into Maylene, wearing an all-white, French maid's dress.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," she squeaked as Ciel tried his hardest to keep them both standing.

"It's okay," he said, used to her inelegance, "Actually, I'm glad to see you, could you take me to the White Queen?"

"H-her Majesty?"

"Yes, I need to speak with her."

Maylene seemed hesitant; she probably was just as loyal to the Queen as she had been to him.

Ciel forced himself to fathom a smile, "I'm Ciel, by the by," he introduced himself, trying to win over her trust.

"Maylene," she attempted to make a reverie.

"She might be expecting me," he continued, "We have spoken before, but I had been ill, then."

"Oh! That's you! I'm so sorry! Her Majesty told us about a girl that resided here, because she had fallen ill, she did! I just didn't recognise you!"

She kept mumbling apologies, stuttering and blushing deeply; Ciel had to fight down a slight blush himself (could no one see that he was not female?), but was resolute, and silenced the poor girl.

"Can you take me to her now?"

"Y-yes! Of course!"

She, stumbling, set in a fast pace, leading the young boy down a series of halls and passageways, until they arrived in the large entrance hall and halted at a large set of double-doors.

"This is the main sitting room!" she said, and knocked on the large doors. They opened, swinging outwards, and a blond head peeked into the hallway.

"What is it?" Bardroy inquired, appearing fully in the doorway.

"Lady Ciel needs to speak with Her White Majesty, she does!" Maylene said, mildly feigning confidence.

Ciel nodded his head towards Bard, who returned the gesture. He disappeared inside for a moment, before returning and fully opening the broad doors.

"Lady Ciel, Your Majesty."

"Oh, dear girl!"

The Queen approached him very informally, wrapping her arms around his body and pulling him close towards her chest; after a somewhat suffocating hug, she held him at arm's length, studying his appearance.

"You look very well," She said, nodding her head approvingly, "Oh, and these clothes look just right on you! Nina did a great job!"

Ciel flushed, tugging at the bottom of the white material (that was far too short for his liking, and he felt grateful for the white stockings that came alongside it).

"Come, come," the Queen tugged him by his wrist to the sitting area, guiding him to the great, white sofa in the middle of the room. Ciel sat stiffly, unsure of how he should behave; the Queen was exactly how he remembered his mother to be: bright and cheerful.

The White Queen took a seat on the divan opposed to him, still judging his appearance. Eventually, she sent Bardroy and Maylene out to retrieve tea, and Ciel realised only by the mention of cooking that he was awfully famished.

"So," she spoke seriously, once they were alone, "You wanted to discuss something with me?"

Ciel nodded, and looked down at his knees, toying with the lace that adorned his dress; he felt nervous, unsure of what to say: she looked awfully like his mother, and Ciel would like nothing more than being held in her arms, but here she was _a Queen_, however casually_. _He took some time to gather his thoughts.

"Your Majesty," he began, taking a deep breath, "first of all I would like to thank you for taking such good care of me when I had fallen ill. I really appreciate it, and I am also thankful for the… clothing and all else."

He paused, uncertain of his next lines; he did not need speak yet, though, for the Queen beat him to it.

"Well, first of all, don't be so formal, I hate formalities, myself! And you don't have to thank me; it has been some time since I could take care of someone, ever since…"

She trailed off, face falling, and Ciel remembered, that she had not only lost her kingdom but her husband (as Sebastian had said) and her daughter (as she had said herself when he had been feverish). Her quiet, mental turmoil was interrupted as Finnian, Bardroy and Maylene came in carrying the tea.

The Queen's features lighted up, once more, because of the welcome distraction, and she told the three servants to place the goods on the large, glass table in-between her and Ciel's seating. She apparently truly hated formalities, as she ordered the three of them to 'grab a chair and join them'.

Ciel could not hold back a smile at the looks on their faces, and eagerly accepted everything that was offered to him.

"So, dear," the Queen said after Ciel had, once again, stuffed himself with all kinds of tea, and biscuits, and cakes, and everything else that gave the impression to be edible (something that, on the face of it, amused her to no end).

"Upon arriving, you said something that worried me deeply," her face became grave, and all present looked at her and Ciel, "I thought, that I heard you say that the White Rabbit," Maylene drew in a sharp gasp of breath, "had been captured."

Ciel placed this porcelain cup on its saucer, the soft 'clink' it made echoed through the enormous sitting-room like a gun blast, he could almost imaging the large chandelier above them jingling. Ciel stared at his refection in the brown liquid, silent, finding himself unable to answer her.

"Oh, good Heavens…" she whispered, and Bardroy chocked on a biscuit, coughing loudly.

"No!" the young Finny cried, "Mr. Rabbit can't be captured, he's too good!" Ciel could seen tears welling up in the youngster's eyes; but Finnian had seen him arrive, a total mess, and had heard Ciel say so himself (though he clearly had refused to believe it, then).

"He is," Ciel said as evenly as he could manage, his chest felt impossibly tight he could hardly believe it himself.

Maylene began to cry, holding Finnian close to her body; Bard, who had regained his breath, was visibly moved. The Queen buried her head in her hands.

"They merely took him away, correct? There is still hope…" Ciel tried.

"Only last week," the Queen told him, "they captured another one of us. A great fighter: Agni, was his name, he was taken away from the village where he lived with his master, because there was a rumour that he was on our side.

The village was burned down; it is not far from here actually… All inhabitants died, his master Soma, included. And Agni, he was grief-struck and could not fight. He was decapitated as soon as they got his hands of him… God, may he rest in peace…" she concluded her speech with that.

Ciel could hear a faint rattling-like noise, and realised that his hands shook so severely that he made his cup and saucer clatter; he placed his teacup quickly on the table, putting his hands in his lap.

"Surely t-there must be a c-chance…"

"Only if _she_ kept him for interrogation, that is actually a very likely option; everyone knows he is on our side, they have been trying to get their hands on him for ages!"

"It's my fault." ("What?!" Bardroy exclaimed) "I insisted on travelling with him. I caused a lot of hold-up, if I had just stayed with the Hatter…" It was not like him to repent his actions, to regret the things he had done, but now he could not help himself; guilt coursed through him. What if Sebastian had been killed? Had Ciel murdered him by being stubborn?

"Bardroy, please go and report to the Hatter; Maylene and Finnian, the two of you should have some rest, take a nap. That's an order!" she added.

The three of them stood, and darted of into different directions: Bardroy went back into the main hall and the other two took a side passageway, walking close together, arm-in-arm.

Ciel was left alone with the White Queen, and she leaned close to him, encircling his wrists with her hands, by means of a comforting gesture.

"It is not your fault."

"But –"

"They would have gotten him eventually, I have always been afraid of it. He could not run from them for-ever. Even though, he was very good at it." She smiled at the remembrance.

"D-do you think that he is…" Ciel felt light-headed, as if he was going to faint, again.

_Sebastian could not be dead!_

"Actually, knowing my sister, I think that she has kept him to question him."

Ciel's yaw dropped and he stared at the White Queen in disbelief.

"Your s-sister?" he managed to bring out, eyes large and open.

"Yes," she smiled miserably, "The Red Queen is my sister, Ann."

Ciel was at loss for words.

_The Red Queen… Madame Red… _

It made sense, especially since his mother was the White Queen, Aunt Ann could only be the Red Queen. But he could not wrap his mind about all the horrors she had caused. Sure, (together with that insane death-god) she had been Jack the Ripper, but _this_? And what was the cause?

But as far as Ciel could remember, his Aunt had liked Sebastian. Very much, in fact, Ciel thought as he recalled her fondling his butler's backside once, or twice. And she had been a smart woman; Agni – Ciel shuddered at the thought of his fate – must have been too mourned to provide any answers, but Sebastian would keep his head cool in any situation. Madame would most certainly try to get some answers out of him.

"How did she become _this_?"

The White Queen sighed, running her hands through her blonde hair, and he considered withdrawing his question.

"She… me and her, we were very close; growing up, we were each others best friends. I was the eldest, and heir to the throne, but neither of us could care less.

When we got older, and our parents had both passed away (of old age), I had to rule the Kingdom of Underland. She had great leadership and assisted me often; we were very close, even then.

I met Vincent, at a ball we hosted. It would not be a lie if I said that it was love at first sight; soon, we were to be married, and even sooner we were expecting our first child. We called our little girl Alice, and while I had the life I always dreamed of, Ann was drifting away…

She lived by herself, but she always visited, but there was something cheerless behind her smiles… I fell ill, quite often, and when I did so, Ann spent her time taking care of me and Alice. Alice loved her, and Ann had always wanted a daughter herself…

She could not bare one, you know, she never became fertile. She never married either… Perhaps I have been naïve, but she seemed to handle it all very well, she always told me that she would be happy as long as she could spent time with us."

The Queen's eyes became tearful, and Ciel handed her a napkin to dry her eyes; he wanted to hold her, but did not know if that would be a good idea. She swallowed thickly and continued:

"All was fairly well, but then… One day, I woke up in the guest room, because I had been ill the days before, and V-Vincent… (The Queen truly had to fight tears, now) I could not find him! I searched the whole castle, u-until I found him d-dead in the bedroom… He - he had shot himself. Alice was devastated, she was only ten! She disappeared and n-no matter how hard I searched, I could never find her!

And A-Ann, I don't know what happened to her! S-she turned against me… She fought me with an army; I did not k-know that she had an army! And she-she…"

The Queen burst into tears, hunched over in her seat, shaking in despair. Ciel gave a start and got up to wrap his arms around her; just a moment ago, he had been the frail one, but at this moment he did not know what to do; he had never seen his mother cry!

"I-it's all right," he tried, "It will be fine…"

As he carefully patted her back, she looked up, her blue eyes rimmed red.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry," she straightened herself, wiping her eyes with the napkin, "I did not want to break down on you like that…"

"It is fine, really…"

"No, no… I must be tired. Oh, and look at the time, the sun has already vanished. I should retire, we both should," she faked a smile, raising herself.

"We will discuss the White Rabbit's situation in the morning. He will be rescued, even if it is the last thing that I'll do!"

She offered Ciel her arm, and he had no doubts in taking it. And walking close, arm-in-arm like Finnian and Maylene, they left the sitting room.

_Tomorrow, tomorrow would be a vital day_.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> First of all, thank you for all the **reviews**! I got 8 of them; that's the most reviews per chapter that I have ever gotten on this story! :D

This chapter gave me some (a lot of) trouble, I can hardly count how many times I went back to change something… this plot is getting quite complicated isn't it?

Please, please, please **review! **Tell me what you think! It is **necessary** to know what you guys think of it, or else I can't continue!


	10. Chapter 9 The Mission

Chapter 9 – The Mission

Tomorrow arrived in the form of bright, lucid sunshine and sparkling dew-drops on the petals of the sterling-silver roses he so adored. But not even the beauty of the early morning could mask the earnest of the oh-so important rescue-mission that would take place later.

Ciel had woken with nervous butterflies inhabiting his stomach at the thought of the events that were about to occur. He had anxiously dressed himself, and almost had to be force-fed at the great breakfast table, because the bothersome lump in his throat would not dissolve, regardless of how many cups of tea he would drink.

The White Castle was filled with wild rumpus; clattering voices echoed though the halls, everyone scattered around, and Ciel had nearly lost count of how often he had ran into chess-piece-like soldiers.

Operation enter-the-Red-castle-and-rescue-the-White-Rabbit had become reality, and plans were made.

The White Queen had her doubts of letting Ciel participate, but he would not hear of it, objecting sturdily; eventually, she had, reluctantly, consented. Obviously realising that if she would not let Ciel out through the front door that he would sneak out the window.

While they would have liked to bluntly attack the Red Queen and her castle, the Red Queen (whether anyone would like to admit it or not) possessed a much larger and much stronger army, and the chance of success was quite small – especially as one of their strongest soldiers was the one, currently, captured.

Thus, the White Queen and Ciel had to produce a better plan. The result being, that Ciel, Finnian, Bardroy and Maylene would have the task of slipping in, unnoticed, and try to set the White Rabbit free, and escape, without being caught their selves.

This was easier said than done, since the Red castle was severely guarded by Red Knights; however, due to the leftover information provided by the former Red Front, Bard had been able to detect a hidden entrance through the garden of the palace on one of the stolen maps.

_It was dangerous, but it was the only possibility they had. _

Preparations were made; horses were readied, defences had been set, and weapons had been provided; Ciel himself had been given a small, but powerful, dagger to hide in the bustle of his dress, yet he had been told to fight only if necessary.

The mission would take place in the afternoon, and Ciel had been advised to rest and enjoy himself, until they would have to depart. Apparently, the Queen's idea of a 'trouble-free' moment was entirely different from his, and she had decided to introduce him to another (previously, unnoticed) resident of the White household.

Underland, apparently, included another Dormouse, though this particular one, unlike Ronald, did (seemingly) anything but sleep. No, dressed in white and pink lace, with her hair spun into complicated curls, she had adopted the task of filling the White Castle with smiles, once more.

"Ciel!"

"Hello, Elizabeth."

"Lizzie!"

"Of course…"

He had to suppress a sigh as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Where were you, I haven't seen you since we met this morning? I wanted to play with you!" she exclaimed, looking slightly wound at his earlier disappearance.

He had met her in the dining room this morning, but had left quickly, and 'hid' himself in the beautiful garden, trying to collect his thoughts. It wasn't that Ciel did not want to spent time with his bubbly, former fiancée – whom called herself his best friend, now, but he just did not have the time or the energy, for that matter.

"I had to make preparations for the mission –"

"The mission is all you talk about, and all you think about as well, most likely! Don't you want to have some fun for a change?"

Ciel could not come up with a way to say 'no', without it being hurtful to her. He knew that she only tried to help. That her childish demeanour and bubbly personality, aggravating as they may be, were her ways of dealing with difficult situations, but as much as he wanted to enjoy her playing with her, he found that he could not.

He could not quite put his finger on it, but, for some reason he thus had yet to come up with, the whole situation concerning Sebastian made him loose all of his very valuable composure. He would not know (did not want to know) what his ancestors would say, if they would see him so worked up over the fate of a mere servant!

_Sebastian…_

Trying to get hold of a reason, he thought that, perhaps, it was the fact that the whole situation was so unusual; Sebastian always managed to escape from everything without too much harm, the reason for this being that he was a demon. But, at present, he was only human – was he even human?

All of it confused Ciel to no end.

He sighed, running his hands through his hair, as was his custom, and tried to appear happy for Elizabeth. She, however, seemed to see right though him:

"What's wrong?"

Ciel bit his lip (another habit of him) and found that he could not tell her anything, because he had no idea what was truly wrong himself. He stared at his knees, running his finger over the stone steps that let into the garden, on which they were currently seated.

Sebastian might die, but shouldn't that make him happy, because then he'd have the full reigning over his soul again? No; he had never worried about the contract, as long as he got his wish granted in the end.

_Sebastian... _

Was that it then? Was he anxious about not completing his revenge? But startlingly, he realised that this was the first time in many, many days that he had even _thought_ of his revenge. And were there not other demons, willing to be his pawn in exchange for his soul? He supposed so, since Sebastian had once remarked that his, in particular, was very appetising.

_Sebastian!_

Ciel jerked, shaking his head wildly.

"Ciel?" her eyes were troubled and she spoke softly, "Is it the mission?"

Ciel glanced at her.

"Maybe," he said, "I guess I'm just nervous," He felt bad for lying to her, but he could not help himself; he did not want to include her in this.

She looked him over, anxious herself, and placed a hand on his shoulder, an action which Ciel, surprisingly, did not refuse.

Just when Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something, they were interrupted.

"Excuse me, Lizzie dear," the White Queen spoke, "But I need your new friend in the entrance hall. We will begin the mission, any moment now." She added to Ciel, who nodded and stood. He excused himself towards Elizabeth, kindly thanking her for her company, and followed the White Queen into the castle.

He felt ill again, his feet almost too heavy to lift, but tried to push his feelings of discomfort away. They were going to succeed, they had to. He didn't pay attention to his surroundings, as the Queen let him from the back of the castle (where the garden was) to the front, and only raised his head once the met up with the three well-known servants.

"Al-right," the White Queen said loudly, "Is everyone aware of their positions?"

"Yes, Your White Majesty!" four voices echoed.

"Good, let's go over it one more time!" she produced a map of Underland with the path they would take lined in black.

"You will take this route to the Red Castle, riding horses; stay within the thickly grown areas and make sure no-one sees you. If you are seen by Red Knights, then the mission is over, and you will return here!"

She paused, as if waiting for protests. When she did not receive any, she continued.

"You will enter the castle through the back garden. Finnian, you will stay in the forest with the horses. If sunset has come and they have not yet returned (with or without the rabbit) you will departure on your own."

Finnian nodded.

"The garden is quite large," she told the others "if you are seen, you go right back! If you manage to enter the castle, you must descend to the dungeons (they will, most likely, keep the White Rabbit there). The castle is possibly swarmed with Red Knights, so I advise you to split up. If you find him, you will attempt to set him free."

"This is a very dangerous mission," she said, "Never forget that your own life is your first priority; we cannot permit ourselves to lose any others. You may have to go back without the rabbit." She seemed to address Ciel here in particular, and he avoided her gaze.

The White Queen sighed and continued to advise them in the best way she could.

"Well, this is it then. Good luck, all!" she concluded eventually.

She let them outside towards the horses, which stood waiting quietly, as if they were aware of the earnest of the situation. Lizzie had followed them outside and gave them all good-bye hugs, and wished them luck, as the Queen did so herself.

"Please, be safe," she whispered in his ear, and Ciel promised her that he would be.

He mounted his horse, a beautiful white one, with one large, black mark stretching over its left eye, and waited for the others to do the same. Finny climbed upon the back of a spotted one, and Maylene and Bardroy shared the last.

"Ready?" Bard asked him.

"Yes, let's do this!"

And, pulling the reins, they sped off into the distance of the forest.

_Sebastian was one hell of a lucky rabbit, to have so many to care for him. _

* * *

><p>Their journey revealed to be unexpectedly calm; they had not run into any Red Knights or other obstructions and thus they were able to travel rather fast.<p>

They barely spoke, to not be heard and caught. When they opened their mouths, it was to give each other directions or advice. The tranquillity of the woods unsettled Ciel a bit; but he forced himself to rid him of his doubts. He had to concentrate on how things could go right, instead of how they could go wrong.

They were nearing the Red castle fairly rapidly, and from what Ciel could see though the thick oaks, was the Red Castle enormous. It stood proudly in the middle of Underland; with its high, red-coloured towers and walls, encircled by the largest hedges, and guarded severely by the card-like Knights Ciel easily, and heatedly, recognized.

It seemed very impervious, and Ciel was glad for Bard's experience in all things war-related. The eldest male led them around the forest to the gardens of the castle, and, after some search, found the passage that had spoken of.

Sadly enough, that passage showed to be nothing more that a small gap in one of the hedges, but that was their only chance.

Bardroy, Maylene and Ciel left Finny and the horses close-by in the forest, and, after saying quick good-byes, set themselves on old-fashioned breaking-and-entering.

"Okay," Bard whispered, "I'll go first, then you Ciel, and Maylene will go last." Ciel would have wanted to argue, but agreed, nevertheless. They had no time for pointless discussions, about who of them should take the lead.

From behind the tree he stood, Bard looked left and right, and, once he was sure of the absence of Red Knights he dashed towards the opening. Ciel and Maylene followed him. Using his height as an advantage, Ciel easily slipped through, finding himself in a massive, great garden, filled with bushes shaped into hearts and numerous fields of red roses. He could not help but stare for a moment, and jumped as Bard touched his arm.

"Come on," Bard took the lead, once more, and Ciel and Maylene followed him into a path that seemed to resemble more of a maze than someone's backyard.

"It's quiet," Maylene muttered.

"Too quiet," Bard noted, and Ciel couldn't help but agree. The garden was seemingly vacant, and Ciel kept glancing about, expecting to run into a Knight at any moment.

"Halt!" Bard held out his arm, obstructing Ciel and Maylene form going further, and beckoned them behind a large, red rosebush.

"Look!"

Gazing through rose stems and leaves, Ciel caught the sight of three card-like servants, encircling a white rosebush; each of them carried a bucket filled with red liquid; and, to Ciel's astonishment, all took a horse-hair brush, dipped it into the fluid, and began to _paint_ the white roses, one by one, red.

Ciel sent the others a puzzled look, and they copied him. Carefully, using the flora as cover, they moved closer into the direction of the castle. The entrance from the garden to the inside of the castle was obstructed by two large, dark, wooden doors, but, Bard discovered them to be left unlocked, and they managed to slip through, unseen.

They crossed the hallway, which led them deeper into the castle, until they came to a halt in front of a giant, gold-covered staircase, leading to a floor above them.

"And now?" Maylene asked, "We are supposed to descend into the castle!"

"We have no choice," Ciel said, and he began to tackle the steps, while Bardroy and Maylene followed closely behind. They did not see any Knights, but that did not mean that they didn't have to be on their guard.

Ciel looked around; trying to remember details of the castle so he could find his way back later; the red carpet was soft beneath Ciel's feet, and large chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, but it was of no use. Everything: every window, every door, every tapestry looked identical.

They arrived at the top of the stairs and halted there. There were two hallways, one left and one right.

"What way to the prison?" Bard asked.

Maylene shook her head, "I don't know."

Ciel looked around, "Bard, Maylene, you two go left, and I'll take right."

They looked at him uncertainly, but agreed eventually, realising they had no choice but to split up, and disappeared into the opposite direction, as Ciel went right. He followed the curve of the corridor, cautiously listening for any sounds of the Red Knights, knowing that if they found him now, that he would be doomed, for sure.

He looked ahead and, shockingly, noticed another stairwell, leading upwards; he considered going back – he needed to be in the bottom of the castle, but his curiosity made him wonder what the higher floors of the castle held. Against his better judgement, climbed the flight of steps. These were longer and brought him much higher that he should go; they finally ended in another corridor.

This one was wider than the one he had been in before, and noticed set of double-doors at the far end. He stood frozen at the top of the stairs, the reason being that he could clearly hear the hushed voice of the Red Queen from behind those doors.

He realised that he had to return now, but she sounded far too pleased for his liking; and, if Ciel's eyes did not betray him, he could have sworn that the right door stood slightly ajar, which would leave a perfect opening to gaze through without being noticed from the inside.

Ciel hesitated, the butterflies from this morning returning to his stomach; he glanced back, and did not see anyone, and stared at the door, once more. In the end, his curiosity won it from his apprehension, and he tiptoed towards the doors.

Placing his hands upon the wood, he leaned into the opening, and gazed inside. What he saw made his heart skip several beats. He had expected to witness anything from casual conversation to murder, but he could have never foreseen this;

The room was wide, and filled with the most beautiful statues, diamond chandeliers and remarkable ornaments; the flooring and the seats were covered with the richest, red coloured materials and fabrics, but the most striking of it all was the large, with golden decorated throne on which the Red Queen herself lazed upon, as she and her handsome lover kissed with fiery passion.

"_Se-Sebast-tian?_"

Ciel felt as if a strong, metal hand had just taken hold of his heart, and then proceeded to crush the valuable organ into a million, tiny pieces. His hands shook, his head swam. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe; his knees were trembling so violently that he grew afraid of collapsing.

_Why? _

He wanted to run, he wanted to scream; for the first time since his parents' death and capture, he wanted to _cry_.

"Hey, you!"

Shattered, Ciel looked into the direction of the voice, only to see a pair of Red Knights sprint towards him, taking hold of him, and throwing him into the room he least wanted to be in.

The Red Queen and the White Rabbit broke apart.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Red Queen exclaimed, angrily.

"Your Majesty! She was outside your door!"

"Was she now? Well then: Off with her head!"

"Wait!" Sebastian spoke abruptly, "Your Majesty, pardon me, but she seems familiar. Could she not be your long-lost niece Alice?"

The Queen stared at him in bewilderment, seemingly unsure if she should listen to him or punish him for speaking out of place. She seemed to prefer the first option and raised herself from her throne. The guards released him and she seized Ciel herself, looking him over.

"Alice, is that you?" she asked in bewilderment, searching in his face for clues.

"Yes," Ciel spoke softly, his throat aching terribly. He had no choice but to participate in this lie, as this was the perfect excuse. He didn't want to listen to Sebastian now; the rabbit must have recognised him, but Ciel did not want this supposed kindness, particularly not now, since he wanted to stride over to his once-demon and rip every gleaming strand of beautiful hair from his head.

_How could he?_

"Oh, Alice, I though that I would never see you again!" she exclaimed, and hugged him close; Ciel had to fight against himself to not attack her, almost all compassion he had once felt for his aunt had left him.

"What happened to your eye? And your hair?" she asked worriedly, and Ciel wanted to scream at her, obviously, fake sympathy.

"Accident," he replied rudely, breaking free; he did not want her hands on him.

"An accident? What kind of accident, did your mother do this to you?"

"No! There was a fire..." Ciel forced himself to be calm, to not raise his voice. He liked his head where it was now, attached to his body.

The Queens eyes widened, and he could have sworn that he saw some guilt reflect in them.

_Ha, just right!_

"She doesn't look too well, perhaps she should rest," the White Rabbit suggested, and the Red Queen gazed at him before nodding in approval.

"Yes, yes! Lead her to the best room we have!" she ordered her guards. And they (roughly) grabbed Ciel's arms once more, rather dragging him than leading him towards the door.

"Shall I accompany them?" he heard Sebastian ask behind him, and the Queen giggled when she answered,

"Oh, no, no! Then, you will try to escape! Plus," she added flirtatiously, "we aren't finished here, yet!"

Ciel felt sickened.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Sebastian x Madam Red and voyeur!Ciel, who saw that one coming? O_o.

Sorry that this chapter took so long, I got sick and had tons of homework to do, so I did not have the time or the energy to write. I hope this chapter will meet your expectations!

**Review! Or the Red Queen will visit you in your sleep and cut your head off! Or continue to snog Sebastian. **(Which thought is more terrifying?)


	11. Chapter 10 Revelations I

Chapter 10 – Revelations I

The, now slightly more polite, guards led Ciel through numerous of halls, up many stairs, and past uncountable doors, but to none he paid attention.

_How could he?_

Ciel he felt mad and he felt unwell, but most of all he felt betrayed. He, however, willed to calm himself (he had caused enough of a scene before), and dragged his feet forward. The trio of them continued their journey, until they entered the last, slim hallway, which led to a dead-end; the obstruction being a large, golden rimmed mirror, shining brightly in the light of the candelabra attached to the walls. There only was one dark, heart shaped door to his right, and one of his guides showed a small, golden key and opened the entrance to, what Ciel supposed would be his new room for as long as he stayed here (he hoped that his reside would not be very long), and the boy stepped inside.

The room was grant; build into a circular shape, and, judging by the depth of the window-still, the walls were very thick. The space was styled in a red-black-gold-theme, which seemed to be present in the whole castle; the middle of the room occupied a large, round shaped bed, a red canopy hung from the ceiling above it, and pieces of dark wooden furniture were, miraculously, placed against the curved walls. There was another door present in the room, which he assumed to lead to an accompanying bathroom.

Ciel heard the door close behind him and jumped, startled by the sudden blare. He looked back at the heart-shaped wood and realised, as he heard the footsteps of the Knights disappear into the distance, that he was all alone, both in body and spirit.

The young boy let out a sigh, and shuffled over to the window frame; he hoisted himself onto the flat, stone surface between the red-and-back wallpaper and the glass, glancing into the garden. It was late, at present, and the sun had long begun to set, only letting a minuscule ray of light shine above the horizon; Finnian and the others would, most likely, already have left without him. They had been unsuccessful in their mission.

At the thought of the scene he had witnessed between the Red Queen and Sebastian, Ciel felt another wave of anger course through him. In a flare of rage he ripped the pocket watch from his collar and threw the item wildly into the room; it hit the wall opposed to him, and landed, without so much of a scratch, on the dark carpet.

_That damn butler!_

Was that what he had made all that effort for, to be thrown to the side without a second thought? How dared Sebastian to betray him like that? Sebastian was his!

_Well, not that he was jealous or anything!_

Ciel's chest heaved, and, attempting to regain his composure, he rested his forehead against the cool surface, closing his eyes. The sight kept replaying itself behind his closed eyelids; the image of his butler and his own aunt wrapped in a fiery embrace was, everlastingly, engraved in his memory.

Why did he feel this way? Why couldn't he forget what he had seen?

_Thump… _

_Thump… _

_Thump…_

A red mark was slowly forming itself on the young Earl's forehead, but he could not care less. Why would his appearance matter, if _he _only had eyes for someone else?

The youngster began to acquire quite a headache, and ceased his pounding; he pulled his knees closely to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, and rested his head upon them. With his eyes still closed, he desperately let out uncountable sighs.

_Why couldn't he just wake from this nightmare? _

Fate seemed to be unfortunate for him, once again, when the sound of a fist, softly knocking on wood, interrupted the boy's musings. He creased his brows, attempting to ignore whoever was at the other side.

The knocking came again, louder this time – and again, his guest being persistent. Ciel unwillingly lowered himself onto the floor and stalked towards the door, opening it with more force then necessary. His blood turned to ice when he came face to face with the last person he had wanted to see.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rage flooded through him, making him tremble and raising his voice. His fist balled and his brow scrunched.

Not _him,_ not _now_!

"My Lady, please let –"

"Don't you 'my Lady' me!_ She_ is y_our_ _Lady_ now, isn't she?" Ciel could not help himself, and before he knew what was happing, he threw a tantrum. He could not believe the rabbit's nerve; how dared he, to stand on his doorstep now? The Earl did not want to see him now, not when the memory of_ his_ betrayal was this fresh.

"Allow me to explain –"

"You don't have to explain anything!" Ciel shouted, not caring about who may hear him. With flaring eyes, he screamed:

"I don't need an explanation, it is all very clear! You pretend to be all perfect, with your pretty face, and your fancy words, and your 'loyalty' to the White Queen, but in reality,"

Ciel paused there to let out a fake, humourless laugh. He felt absolutely dreadful; he would not have wanted to fight with Sebastian, but if that bastard wanted to convince him that he had done nothing wrong, then Ciel would have_ his_ head!

"But in _reality_, you are just a stuck up, lying bastard, who only thinks about himself and his bloody hormones!"

"Lady Alice!" the rabbit did not look very pretty or pleased with a deep frown of disapproval marring his face, his shoulders stern with irritation:

"I came here to talk to you, not to hold a shouting match!"

"I don't want to talk!" the boy protested, "AND I CAN BLOODY SHOUT WHEN I WANT TO!"

Sebastian looked to have reached the end of his patience and seized Ciel roughly by the shoulders. Ciel unsuccessfully struggled against his grip, yelling at the rabbit to release him, thrashing around.

"You're hurting me!"

"Listen you little –" But before Ciel could discover what the elder wanted him to listen to, his palm roughly connected with the right side of Sebastian's face. The rabbit released him, looking dumbfounded, as if unsure to what exactly had happened. The boy's hand ached with the force of the slap, and his upper arms with the strength of Sebastian's grip. He stared at the red mark forming on his former butler's face.

"P-perfect, now you m-match with your little shag partner!" Ciel wanted the words to sting, but he was mortified to find his voice shaking. He rubbed his bruised shoulders, blinking heavily.

_He would not cry!_

Sebastian looked perplexed, and Ciel hoped with his whole being that he could truly see remorse in the devil's eyes.

"Get out," the younger spoke, still shaking. The rabbit obeyed, signing defeat,

"The Red Queen will be expecting you in the dining room for breakfast," he said before marching out of the bedroom, letting the door fall closed loudly behind him.

Ciel breathed deeply, staring at the spot his (well, no longer!) rabbit had stood, glaring heatedly at the rug, as if willing to burn a hole into it. He was angry; angry at the Red Queen, angry at Sebastian, but most of all, angry at himself. He heatedly snatched the pocket watch from his neck and threw it furiously at the nearest wall.

He had sworn to himself to never feel despair again, to stay strong no matter what may occur; but it was as if he was crumbling to the ground, piece by piece.

It took him a few moments to regain his breath and to cease his furious trembling, but at long last, he moved to collapse worn-out on his bedding – not bothering to change out of his clothes. It had grown dark outside, and his room was slowly enclosed by the night. He punched angrily into his pillow, before burying his face into it.

_Now, more then ever, he wanted to be gone from this dreadful place._

* * *

><p>Ciel awoke to the watery sun enlightening his too pale visage. He had experienced a night with terror-filled dreams of Sebastian betraying him, in any way his bruised mind could come up with, the last vision being the clearest:<p>

He had been standing cuffed upon a platform, the people of Underland witnessing the scene, and had been condemned to death for a reason he could not even recall. The Red Queen had ordered to decapitate him, which, by itself, was already terrifying; but the greatest horror had been to discover his butler was the one to behead him, whom fulfilled the task while smirking widely, and speaking of 'how he could have ever taken interest is such a tedious being as Ciel, when there were incredible individuals like Her Red Majesty'.

Obviously, Ciel was not looking forward to sharing breakfast with them. He considered the idea of staying in bed all day long, but the thought of more dreams did not allure him either. After quite a struggle with himself, he decided that laying around would not solve anything, and raised – however unwillingly.

Behind the door in his room was indeed a bathroom; Ciel stood before the large looking-glass, watching the light reflect on his face. He looked positively horrid; his features were ghostly white, his eyes looked dead-tired – the dark circles under them only adding up to this; his relatively short hair had been messed up in his sleep, and his dress was filthy, rumpled and crinkled.

Ciel was not one to pay particularly much attention to his looks, but he had to wince slightly at his appearance. He filled a bowl with water from the pitcher close to it and began to wash himself. On the coat hanger, hung from the back of the bathroom door, he found a red-white-black themed dress, clearly meant for him to wear, and he barely complained as he pulled it on.

Ciel was finished rapidly (although, his work was not the neatest), and walked back into his sleeping quarters. Taking a golden, horse-hair brush from the night-stand by his bed, he began to brush his relatively short hair.

His eyes aimlessly wandered through the room, wondering about how there could have been new clothing and fresh water present. Had anyone been in his room while he was asleep? A servant, perhaps?

The thought unsettled him and he unconsciously glanced towards the entrance leading to the halls of the castle. With a start he noticed something – shaped like a rectangle – laying on the carpet in front of it, as if it had been shoved under the wood in his unawareness.

He placed his brush down, and with a curious feeling in his stomach, he approached the door, kneeling down and studying the item in bewilderment:

A sealed, white envelope with the black letters 'To Lady Alice of Underworld' printed beautifully on it.

The title was undoubtedly foreign to him, but Ciel knew that it was meant for him. Turning it over in his hands, he noticed that it did not held the name of the sender. He raised himself onto his feet, the letter in one hand, and quickly made his way back to sit upon his untidy bedding, feeling doubtful. He was hesitant in opening it, wondering who could have written it.

It could only have two senders: The Red Queen (in which case, he really did not want to read it) and the White Rabbit (and he did not want to read it then, either). But his curiosity got, once again, the best of him, and eventually he decided that the situation could not possibly become worse.

By use of his nails, he broke that seal and unfolded the paper, reading the neatly written words:

_My dearest Lady,_

_Foremost, I would like to apologise for my behaviour; you had every right to be mad at me and to refuse my excuses. I seem to have upset you greatly, and have, possibly, even hurt you; I express my deepest regret for that. I do hope that you will not always harbour hatred against me. _

_Nevertheless, I feel the need to explain myself and my actions, in the course of this letter. Primarily, you will have to believe me, whilst I tell you that I have never lied to you, and that I have never once thought of betraying you or Her White Majesty. _

_However, you will have to understand my current position. In the time that has passed under reign of the Red Queen, myself, and many others, have continually gathered valuable information about her own person. I have only shared this information with The White Queen before, and I would ask you to keep it to yourself, as the Red Queen is not aware of my knowledge of this;_

_The days after the death of the White King, the castle had been thoroughly searched for clarifications of his death. I had been given the task of investigating the scene of the crime. In one of his personal drawers, I found a letter from the Red Queen (or Angelina, as she was entitled then). _

_The note consisted of a death threat; apparently, the King had once been unfaithful towards Her White Majesty, with no other then the Red Queen herself! The Red Madam had been in a fit of rage because he, in the end, chose her sister over her, and threatened to kill her own flesh and blood if he did not abandon his wife and child. In all probability, he had been unable to decide and, in a fight of desperation, had taken his own life. _

_His only child, Alice, had ran away from home in grief, and has not been seen or heard from ever since, causing many to believe that she has given up the ghost, as well. The Red Queen (also, stricken by sorrow) had obviously not been pleased with the outcome of her scheme, and had then taken over Underland. I believe that you are familiar with the rest of the story. _

_The truth is that, even though she has become a heartless slaughterer, she, up until this day, is very lonesome. This is where I truly enter the picture._

_When the Red Knights had captured me and had taken me to her, she had been determined to interrogate me, and, when I refused to answer, she had ordered to let me be decapitated. Quite like any other being, had I been very keen on keeping my head and, when the opportunity had been given to me, I seduced her... _

_Her underlying desire to be loved was a loophole that I used to my advantage. It did not only keep me living, but, furthermore, placed me in a precious position from which I can gather martial to lead her to her downfall. _

_You must believe that (regardless of what you have witnessed yesterday) neither my loyalty, nor my heart lie with her. I will always be loyal to the White reign of Underland and to you…_

_Please keep this letter close to your heart. _

_Yours sincerely and faithfully,_

_The White Rabbit._

Ciel had to read the letter two, possibly three times to fully comprehend all of it; he was absolutely stunned, and did not know what to think. It almost seemed too good to be true. Looking over the written words again, he found his hands to be shaking, and closed his eyes.

It was too much at once, after what had occurred the day before, but Ciel knew that he _had to_ talk to Sebastian. He _needed __to_ hear the man say these words personally and see truth reflected in those carmine – oh, how fitting! – eyes.

He tucked the letter in his dress, and left his room, in search for the dining hall. He halted somewhere on the fourth level of the castle to declare to a guard that he was 'Princess Alice' and that he wanted to be led to the banqueting hall, instead of uselessly wandering around. He could feel excitement rushing through his veins.

He did not want to face his aunt, but he barely had a choice in the matter. He hardly knew what to think of her after reading Sebastian's words, but he did not think that he could forgive her for what she had done to the White family. He also felt, even now, anger because of the sight he had observed the day before, but as much as Ciel wanted to fight her, he had to realise that she could behead him as easily as anyone else.

He had no choice but to keep a low profile, he decided, as he entered the enormous dining room on his own, leaving the guard at the entrance.

The Red Queen was seated at the head of the long, broad dining table, and several card-like servants scattered around to make sure that everything was perfectly to Her Majesty's liking. The White Rabbit was seated next to her, currently occupied with the task of feeding her deep-red coloured strawberries.

"Alice, please dear, come and join us!" the Queen said as soon as she saw him enter and snapped her fingers. One servant immediately pulled a stool from under the table out for him.

Ciel took a good look at her: only now noticing the details on her black crown and how the red skirt was bounced up on her hips, making it fall to the ground in a heart-shaped form.

"You look absolutely dreadful!" she exclaimed in horror, once he was seated and she was able to study him closer.

Ciel frowned, "Thank you…"

He tried not to look her in the eyes, he did not want to speak with her – he had to speak to Sebastian in private. The rabbit, himself, seemed to be completely oblivious to his presence, simple working down a few strawberries on his own. Ciel was momentarily mesmerized by the way Sebastian's long, black tresses tended to catch brilliant sunlight, whenever he moved his head. Ciel shook his own, cheeks flushing; this was not the moment to get distracted by Sebastian's hair!

Breakfast was continued in silence, aside from the quiet sounds of chewing mouths and the Red Queen's giggles as the White Rabbit returned to the task of feeding her. Ciel spent his morning trying not to glance their way, hardly having any appetite.

"I have hoisted a game of croquet and invited everyone to watch!" the Queen declared once she had eaten enough, slightly startling Ciel, "Do you remember how to play, Alice?"

Ciel glanced at her, biting his lip.

"Well," he said, hesitation clear in his voice, "It has been a long time since I played. So, perhaps I should just watch…"

The Queen pursed her lips, considering his words. Eventually she nodded at him, smiling.

"Yes, I know that you can't stand it when you lose! You and mister Rabbit can watch me."

A small electric-like shock shot through Ciel's veins; would he and Sebastian be able find a moment to themselves, then?

The Red Queen raised herself, the servants immediately halted their motions and stood quietly to wait for instructions:

"Gather everyone in the gardens!" she ordered in a loud voice. Ciel stared as the servants scattered about; would the villagers really come to the castle just to watch her play a game?

"I must admit that I have made my own variant of the game," she said to Ciel, smiling mysteriously.

She latched onto Sebastian's arm and began to depart to the gardens. Ciel himself and trotted half-heartedly after the pair. There was a strange, churning feeling in the depth of his stomach as he made his way through the castle; something was not right.

The large, golden doors that led to the gardens (which Ciel knew a little too well, now) were thrown open by the servants; the young boy was startled to see many (he supposed they were) villagers already there, waiting for their Queen, all of them bursting into applause when she and Sebastian descended the stairs.

The Queen stood at the foot of the staircase, letting go of Sebastian's arm and turned to Ciel, a bright smile on her face. He tried his best to look excited. She gave the impression of approving his look, and he felt a bit relieved when she turned towards the public, taking a few steps forward, and no longer focused on him:

"Is everyone here?" she asked loudly. The crowd seemed to fidget in unison, and the Red Queen narrowed her eyes, a frown appearing on her face.

"Who is not here?"

"T-the Doyles, my Queen" one citizen said, stepping forward. He was wearing a white suit, with a red tie and red gloves. Ciel recognized him with ease and distress.

"Is that so, Aleister? Very well, off with their heads!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the Knights echoed.

Ciel gasped, his eyes becoming wide. He could not believe such a thing; they were executed, because they weren't here to watch her _play_? Just as he was about to open his mouth in protest, Sebastian (who now stood behind him) finally seemed to acknowledge his presence, by squeezing his shoulder in warning. When Ciel glanced at him, he shook his head in a 'no'.

_You can't let them be killed_, he wanted to say, but he found that he couldn't.

"Al-right then!" the Queen continued with a cheerfulness of someone who had not just ordered to murder a family, "To all of you who have come today, I would like to introduce my niece Alice!"

Ciel jumped, feeling Sebastian's hand on his back, ushering him forward. The young boy, who was posing as the young Alice, carefully took the spot next to his aunt.

"Isn't she cute?" the Queen said, placing her perfectly manicured hands on his shoulders. He wanted to squirm out of her grip, and away from the public's prying eyes (what if anyone realised that he was a fake?), but her nails were close to digging into his flesh, leaving him unable to escape.

"Adorable!"

"So cute!"

"She has Her Majesty's good looks!"

Ciel stared at the guests. They all seemed to have no real opinion, or mean their words, for that matter. They looked all rather terrified; a few of them were shaking, even. He could not blame them, as he felt at unease himself, and he was quite attached to his head, just like them.

The Queen cheerfully guided him towards the croquet field, which had been set up prior to their arrival. A servant came, carrying her equipment, and another brought two chairs. Ciel realised that they were meant for him and Sebastian, but was severely disappointed as one of the stools was placed at the one side of the croquet field and the other on the opposite side, apart by more than twenty feet.

Without any protest, Ciel took his seat, watching Sebastian take the other, but not before kissing the Red Queen's cheek. Ciel winced.

His aunt accepted her utensils from her servant (one who bared the number nine) and Ciel was distracted from his brooding at the sight of them. He couldn't help but gawk.

He knew now what she had meant, when she had told him that she had her own version of the game; her mallet appeared to be a _live_ flamingo and her ball seemed to be a _live_ hedgehog!

The Queen firmly grasped her 'mallet' with both hands by its legs (Ciel could have sworn that he heard it groan) and gave the 'ball' a firm hit. It rolled though one of the hoops, and the crowd, again, burst into applause, while Ciel could do nothing but gape.

The Red Queen looked very satisfied.

"Marvellous!"

"A great shot, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, thank you!" she said bubbly. She smiled at Ciel, who was forced to pretend to be enjoying himself.

_What kind of madness was this?_

The Queen continued to play, proving to be fairly good at this 'game' and, as it progressed, Ciel found himself pitying the villagers and the animals more and more. He was so caught up in his own bad humour that he almost let out a squeak when he saw something white from the corner of his eye.

It was a day full of surprises, the Earl decided as he stared at the object; it was a white, from-paper-folded, truly flying butterfly; and, when he was certain that the Queen was not watching him, he grasped it out of the air.

He carefully unfolded it:

_Behind the white rose-bush – W.R. _

Ciel glanced up, looking over to Sebastian, who caught his eyes and looked at him questionably, making a slight inclination with his head towards the castle:

_Shall we?_

Ciel nodded slowly. He stood from his seat, gathered his courage and walked over to the Queen; Alice could not simply disappear. She looked him up and down, halting her sport momentarily.

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Hmm, can't it wait? It would make a very bad impression on our guests," she pressed. So they were 'guests' to her, then?

"Um – " Ciel said, lowering his voice and his pride, as he repeated something he had accidentally overheard Elizabeth say to her mother once, "I think it's my t-time of the m-month…"

"Oh, dear! Go inside then!" she said worriedly, and Ciel quickly left in the direction of the castle, his cheeks burning vastly. He had seen a white rosebush from his window last night, and between all the red ones, it was not hard to find. It stood proudly to one side of the castle, blooming wildly, as if being the only one coloured white made it feel superior.

Ciel sat down on the soft green grass, and crossed his legs. Behind the plant no-one could see him, but he could glance though the leaves back at the croquet field; he was just in time to see Sebastian, unnoticed in the commotion of the Red Queen winning from herself, leaving his seat and beginning to make his way over to Ciel.

With every step the butler took, Ciel could feel his chest tightening; what would Sebastian say, after what had transpired in his bedroom the night before? Was the rabbit mad at him?

_Was he still mad at Sebastian? _

Much time to ponder he did not have, as Sebastian carefully slipped behind the bush, out of the sight of the Red Queen. He took a glance at Ciel, his crimson eyes calculating, before sitting down on the grass himself.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them, and Ciel did not know how to break it or what to say. Luckily for him, the White Rabbit was the first to speak:

"Did you receive my letter?"

"Yes! I mean, I did…" Ciel fumbled to produce the letter from under his dress, holding it awkwardly with both hands. Sebastian continued to give him that inquiring look, and Ciel felt himself turn red.

"Are you still enraged with me?" Sebastian finally asked him, offering the question both of them had on the tip of their tongues.

"N-no," the younger answered, and realised that he spoke truth. Had he forgiven him too easily?

"I'm glad," Sebastian said, his features brightening.

"Why did you wish to see me?" Ciel asked him.

"Why did _you_ wish to see _me_?"

Ciel glared and Sebastian smirked, an expression Ciel knew too well, "I wished to know if my letter had reached you, which it had, and if you had forgiven me, and you did," the rabbit said with all ease.

Ciel, now even more, could not find any words.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said eventually, but did not know how to continue from there. He had been too focused on how he could speak with his former butler, and had not thought of what he would say when he actually would get the chance.

"About?" Sebastian inquired.

"About what you wrote," he said, and Ciel was anxious to see Sebastian's face darken at his enquiry.

"What about it?"

"Was it true?"

"Every word." He had a lot to think about now, as a Queen's Watchdog he had come across murdering plots before, but this was a whole new theme. Even so, there was one more thing that, although he did not know the reason behind this, he needed to be certain of. However, Ciel felt doubtful, should he pose the question that had been secretly nagging at him since last night? Or would it be too bold?

Taking a deep breath, he decided that it would keep on distressing him until he found the guts to ask it anyway:

"Do you have feelings for her?" 'Her' did not need to be specified, for both of them knew who Ciel meant.

The oldest of the pair looked startled, his perfectly ached eyebrows almost reaching his hairline in surprise. Ciel looked down as he dug his nails into grass and earth; he did not want to look into Sebastian's to see dishonesty reflected behind those glasses.

The idea of Sebastian desiring someone left him both shocked and mad, but, most of all, drove him towards bewilderment. He remembered sitting in the White garden with Elizabeth (it seemed so long ago), unable to discover why he was so worked up over Sebastian's fate, and, just like then, neither could he now determine why the image of his butler being romantically involved with someone bothered him so.

He plucked at the green vegetation, tearing it out of the ground with shaking hands, and made a noise of surprise when his hands were suddenly covered with larger, white-gloved ones. He startled looked up into Sebastian's face, finding it to be rather close to his own.

"I meant what I wrote to you: my heart does not belong to her,"

"I know," Ciel heard himself whisper, as if his lips were controlled by someone else than him. The White Rabbit's face was too close to his, and Ciel's could feel his cheeks beginning to resemble the scarlet flowers close-by; his hands had ceased to shake, but his palms became slightly damp.

He recalled travelling through the forest with this man, having the odd desire to hold his hand, and scolding himself for it. The boy swallowed thickly, knowing that he had to lean back and move away, but finding that he couldn't. Those carmine eyes were blazing, scorching fire, and Ciel felt himself getting lost in their fiery heat.

Sebastian's leaned even closer to him, until their faces were only barely apart. Ciel trembled both in alarm and apprehension, the tremors causing his lips to, only faintly, brush Sebastian's. The Earl shuddered heavily at the contact, shivers racking along his spine.

Warm hands left his in a favour of his upper arms, holding him close as Sebastian moved to caress Ciel's mouth with his own.

Sebastian's lips were soft, as they moved slowly against his own; Ciel could feel his eyes falling closed and his blood pumping uncontrollably in his ears; his hands latched themselves onto Sebastian's collar, dirtying the back cloth. He had never felt like this before: absolutely wild and mad and – _oh_…

The older was the one to break the kiss, and Ciel struggled for air; his chest heaved with an unknown emotion, and his mind swirled dangerously.

"White Rabbit! Where did you run off to?" A loud obnoxious voice echoed through across the lawn, and the pair behind the roses jumped.

"Oh, White Rabbit!" the Queen exclaimed once more, and Sebastian quickly jumped up, "Excuse me, please!" walking around the plant. As Ciel glanced through the flowers, he could see the rabbit meeting the Queen whom threw herself around his neck; it appeared that she had won at her 'game'.

Ciel knew that he should move, and return to the playground, but he could hardly move a muscle. He stared completely stunned at the scene, but did not actually see anything, his slow mind still trying to comprehend what had happened.

He strained his muscles by crawling to his feet, standing awkwardly, for a moment, until he began to dash towards the castle. In a flight of confusion and wariness, he stormed off to his room – his feet blindly leading him there; he threw the door to his sleeping quarters open and – letting it fall closed with a loud 'bang' – collapsed onto his bedding, burying his face in the covers, and allowed himself to think.

_Oh, Hell!_

He had kissed Sebastian, he had kissed a _male_, and he had enjoyed it! He felt horrified and ashamed of himself. How could he possibly enjoy such a disgraceful affair?

And why had the other kissed him? Sure, Sebastian though him a girl, but that was no reason to snog him!

Ciel found himself to be trembling, once more, and sighed into his linens. He closed his eyes, and realised that, no matter what, he had to get out of here.

_Now._

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I think it might be nice to mention that the 'garden scene' was the first kiss I ever described… Please tell me how I did!

I keep apologising for the delay of this fanfic...

I made the White Rabbit enter a relationship with the Red Queen, and the Plot Bunnies, by means of revenge, decided to abandon me. *cries*

Anyhow, I hope this chapter was worth the wait! *winks*

**The little button labelled 'Review' down here produces Yaoi if you poke it!**


	12. Chapter 11 Trouble

Chapter 11 – Trouble

"_Ciel…"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_Wake up, my darling"_

"_Seba…?"_

_Ciel slowly opened his multicoloured eyes, blinking rapidly; he lay on his back, as blinding white light encircled him, making his vision swim – for some moments, he couldn't see. Though, when his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the __mid-day__, the vision of Sebastian sitting pleasantly upon the edge of his bed swam into view. _

_Ciel started, shooting up straight, "Sebastian? What are you doing here?" he questioned. _

_A pleasant smile spread across the demon's face, and with a pleasant jump of surprise Ciel realised that those dreadful rabbit ears had disappeared into thin air. Ciel quickly glanced about at his surroundings, but felt his heart sink slightly to find himself still in his chambers at the __Red __Castle__._

"_I have come to rescue you, of course," Sebastian said cheerfully. Ciel stared at him in wonder, shrinking back somewhat when Sebastian raised his right hand to caress the boy's cheek, all while smirking brightly. Ciel could feel his face heating up._

"_The Red Queen," Ciel tried to say, but Sebastian's fingers moved to press themselves to the youngster's lips, cutting of his sentence; a 'shh'-like sound erupted from the butler's lips. _

"_Do not worry about her," he whispered, bringing his face up close. _

"_Sebas – What?" The butler leaned over him, placing his left hand close by the Earl's shoulder on the bedding to support himself; caressing small, pink lips with gloved fingers. _

"_Beautiful being," the demon murmured. Ciel swallowed thickly, his butler's face was suddenly very close, too close – like it had been in the garden, but this Sebastian _(his Sebastian)_ couldn't possibly…_

_Wouldn't possibly…_

"_Ciel…" the Sebastian husked, pressing those warm, soft lips feverishly against the boy's._

* * *

><p>"Ah!" Ciel shot up, his backbone upright in shock and his forehead coated with sweat; his heart was racing a mile a minute in his chest.<p>

It was late, and Ciel's room was near dark. The last rays of golden sun-light spread themselves over the red carpet and the patterned wallpaper. Around the castle it was calm; no sound was made apart from the occasional last chirps of small birds, before they settled in their own nests to await the night.

Ciel's breathing was rash as he stared ahead into nothingness. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, and he most certainly had not planned to dream_ that. _

The young boy reached up to run his fingers through his hair, pulling the damp, gray stands away from his skin; closing his eyes. As if he had not encountered enough trouble yet, since he had arrived in Underland – _this_ just had to happen!

The boy let out a sound of frustration, shaking his head from side to side, trying to rid himself of these shameful thoughts. Why, oh why – he could not tell.

_Why was this happening to him? _

It was a horrible dream, a wonderful nightmare, one that had become reality. He wished he was still in that dreaded study, listening to some Latin nonsense, but he had fallen down a rabbit-hole. He had been shrunk, grown and attacked multiple times. He had been made to wear dresses, and to pretend to be Alice. He had been hurt, he had been ill; he had been brave, he had been weak.

He had been unwillingly thrown into war between good and evil – with no chance of winning.

But perhaps it he been his own mistake, he wondered. If he had not been so desperate to chase after his butler-turned-rabbit. If only he had stayed in that chair in his study.

If only he hadn't cared about Sebastian.

_Oh, Sebastian…_

No, it was his entire fault! If he had not ran away, Ciel wouldn't have ended up in Underland; if he had not been captured, Ciel would not have been involved! If he had not kissed him, Ciel's feelings would not have been so mixed-up…

Ciel shook himself out of his trance; it was no use to feel remorse about what had already happened, there was no way back now. He had to face the consequences, willingly or not.

He picked himself up, his limbs tired, his head disorientated. His knees felt weak when he climbed out of his bed, forcing himself to stand. With aching feet, he dragged himself over to his window-pane, which, by this time, had become his regular seat, and hoisted himself up.

Sitting with his back against one of the upright, stone sides, he pulled his knees to his chest and leaned his head upon it; staring off into the garden beneath. It was void of people. The Queen had probably finished her 'amusement' some hours ago, and the villagers had gone home. He wondered if anyone had actually minded his sudden disappearance; or hadn't they noticed it, at all?

From this spot he could also see that one, white rosebush, and turned red. _Don't think about that!_ He told himself angrily.

He had to focus on finding a way to get out of this place, for he did not want to stay here, any longer. Knowing this Queen, though, he knew the castle to be surrounded by guards and Knights – most certainly at night-time, which was nearing.

Outside the last rays of sun began to disappear, only to make place for a bunch of Red Knights, approaching the castle from the horizon. Ciel pressed his face close to the glass, startled by their sudden appearance.

Four or five Knights came marching to the castle, Ciel could see them walk around the hedges surrounding the grand garden, to (what he supposed was) the front of the castle. However, they were not alone.

As they were coming closer, he could see two of them carrying a small stretcher, on which something (a person, perhaps?) lay, covered by a red blanket. As they made a sharp turn, and just before they disappeared out of Ciel's sight, the blanket shifted slightly and a small, pale arm, descended lifelessly down the left side of the stretcher.

Ciel gave a start, a gasp escaping his lips. His stomach twisted and turned. Something was definitely wrong. Why were they carrying a dead body into the castle?

Ciel almost stumbled out of his current seating, and staggered his way of over to his door. Swinging it open, he rushed into the hallways, and down flights of stairs, hurrying to the bottom of the castle. He didn't trust this situation one bit.

His feet led him downwards until he found himself standing on top of the giant staircase in the main hall, just in time to see the front doors being swung open, and the Knights carrying the body in. They did not notice him – a fact Ciel was thankful for – and he stared as one of them (he counted five in total, now) left the group to knock on the large wooden doors leading to the dining room, and entering.

Ciel kept silent as he watched two of the other guards walk back through the front doors, trying to keep them from noticing him and himself from noticing the dead body on the stretcher, which was still held up by the last two.

He now realised the front of the castle to acquire an inland waterway, including a drawbridge; the pair of Knights walked away from the castle, crossing the water by means of the bridge, and stopped marching when they set foot on land again. Ciel could see them using a heavy looking mega-ism to pull up the bridge by its metal hinges and chains. Ciel doubted the idea to dash for it, but the Knights would undoubtedly catch him even before he crossed the bridge.

Once the bridge had been pulled up, Ciel was able to gaze into the dark water beneath. At first he thought that the river was filled with rocks and large pebbles – but, upon looking closer, he realised that those 'rocks' were, in fact, _skulls_ and those 'large pebbles' were other parts that had once belonged to a human body.

Ciel shuddered. Would the body on the stretcher be deposed off there, as well?

"WHAT?"

Ciel gave a shriek upon hearing the Queen's voice from inside the dining hall. Hurried footsteps neared, and the doors of the dining hall were thrown open by the Queen herself, followed by Sebastian and the Knight. None of them noticed Ciel, they were solely focused on the stretcher.

"We just found her," the Red Knight said, "Just."

The Queen's face was a white as snow, and even Sebastian seemed more pale than usual. The boy stood motionless rooted to his spot on the stairs. The stretcher was placed on the ground on the Queen pulled the red item away, revealing the body.

Two sightless blue eyes stared up; long, gray-coloured hair laid spread around a young girl's form. She wore a light blue, short dress, an apron, and striped stockings – the clothing ripped and dirtied. The right side of her head was bloodied, and a small hole was present in her skull, as if she had been shot.

The Queen's mouth was open, gasping. Time seemed to stand still, until she finally uttered a word:

"Alice…"

Ciel froze, sucking in a breath; he felt as if someone just douched him in ice-cold water. It was the White Queen's daughter, the_ real_ Alice.

Apparently the Queen had heard him gasp, because she turned her face to him, eyes wide.

"You!"

Everything went so quick, it seemed more like a blur. Sebastian, who had been frozen like a statue not moments before, jumped and dashed up the stairs, rushing over to Ciel and grasping his hand, pulling him away from the scene. Ciel let himself be dragged off, as he heard the Queen yell:

"Get her! She's a fake!"

He and Sebastian ran; up stairs, through halls, the two Red Knights rushing after them. Ciel had no idea where they were going, but that did not matter.

_Out, they had to get out!_

They went around corners Ciel had never seen before, but Sebastian must have known where they were going, because they somehow ended up in the hall leading to the gardens. Sebastian let go of Ciel's hand, marching over to the doors and pushing them open. Heart racing, Ciel followed him out.

Looking back, he saw the Knights approaching at a fast speed. Sebastian hurriedly pushed the doors closed from the outside; he leaned his back against them – forcing all his weight and his strength against the wood to hold the doors closed. They heard a loud 'bang' of the Knights crashing into the door, and more terrifying sounds of them trying to break through.

Ciel placed his hands on the wood, pushing as hard as he could. Sweat was breaking out and he felt sick again, his breathing laboured.

He glanced at the rabbit, whose expression was twisted in effort. He did not know what to say, it was the first time Ciel had seen him since _that_ had happened in the garden; it was no use to ponder that now, though. Not while they were at risk of being killed.

"I won't be able to hold this long," Sebastian said, voice strained with exertion, "You must go, now!"

Ciel stared at him, shaking his head, "No, this t-time we go together!"

"My Lady-"

"On three we let g-go and r-run!" Ciel said loudly, this time he would not leave this man behind. He took a deep breath; the doors were giving in and it wouldn't be long before those Knights came bursting through. He was actually surprised that they managed to hold them back for so long, already.

"One…"

_Bang!_

"Two!"

_Crash! _

"THREE!"

For a moment Ciel had been afraid that Sebastian would not obey him, but the instant the number left the boy's mouth, he ran – once again, taking Ciel's hand. Sebastian was taller and his legs were far longer, but Ciel ran like he had never run before.

"Off with her head!"

He pulled Sebastian to the end of the garden, to the hedge he had come through; Ciel was able to slip though the gap easily, but Sebastian was a lot bigger than him. The rabbit ripped the right sleeve of his suit and white shirt beneath it on a branch, and Ciel could have sworn that he had seen blood, but Sebastian did not seem to notice any wounds.

Ciel rapidly looked around, and he and Sebastian made their way into the forest; his jaw almost dropped open at the sight of his white horse still tied to the branch he had left it. In his mind he thanked Finny, for they could not have been luckier. Much time to be thankful he did not have, for the Knights began to cut through the hedges with their swords.

Sebastian hurried over to the animal, untying it. Ciel felt bad for it being there for so long, but the horse would have to hold on for a few moments longer. Sebastian hoisted himself upon it and helped Ciel up, who sat behind him, legs on both sides.

The Knights finally broke through the plants, and Sebastian took the reins in both hands, pulling roughly. The animal neighed loudly while lifting the front of his body into the air, kicking his hooves; Ciel quickly wrapped his arms around Sebastian's waist, scared to fall off.

"Hold on tight!" Sebastian yelled, and the horse made a mad dash into the forest. Through the branches and trees they passed, Ciel looked back to see the Knights trying to chase them. Clattering in their heavy armours they ran, but they were left behind. Persistent they were, but as the forest grew ticker and the animal ran faster, they had to give up. Ciel could hear them shouting and cursing, and buried his face in Sebastian's broad back, smiling slightly, as they galloped off into the distance, away from the castle.

_To freedom._

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I am terribly sorry about this taking so long..

I had actually had already given up, and I was going to put this story on Hiatus. And then, suddenly, a miracle happened: I managed to write something I am quite satisfied with. :D

But this is it for now. The next chapter might include a fluffy SebaCiel moment in the forest... and more...

Maybe...

(if you)** Review!**


	13. Chapter 12 Cupid's Wounds

Chapter 12 - Cupid's Wounds

They kept on riding at rapid speed, even after the Knights had completely disappeared out of sight; only when they had reached a very shady part of the forest they began to lower their pace. Aside from the soft tapping of the horse's hooves, and the pair's breathing, it was quiet; most animals had returned to their homes, and in this area there was no sign of human civilisation.

The sun had set, night had fallen. Ciel could only barely make out the surroundings in the dark.

Sebastian tugged softly on the reins, halting their stride. He glanced back at Ciel over his shoulder, his red eyes appearing very mysterious in the bad lightening.

"Perhaps, we should call it a day and rest," he suggested. "I'm afraid we'll get lost in this darkness."

A shiver raced through Ciel's body. Staying here, when the whole Red Castle was probably out searching for them? I did not seem like a very wise thing to do.

"They won't be able to travel well in this setting, either," Sebastian added, as if he had read Ciel's thoughts. The boy began to muse. Were his feelings so close to the surface that they were truly visible? Or was Sebastian actually able to read minds? Both thoughts unnerved him greatly, especially since a demon appeared to be something that could read minds.

However, he realised, even if demons were capable of such, it was currently of no importance; this Sebastian was no demon. Ergo, Ciel concluded that Sebastian must have simply guessed, and set himself upon guarding his emotions better.

But if Sebastian wasn't a devil, Ciel continued to wonder, that would mean that he acquired sleep, like Ciel. Was the rabbit actually tired? Ciel surely was, but he would be surprised if he was able to catch only a little rest, with all those nerves racing through his body.

And speaking of nerves, with a small jolt it came to his attention that he was still holding Sebastian around the waist, and quickly released him. Suddenly, he was thankful for the dimness; this way Sebastian could not see him blush.

Tugging on a small piece of lace on his dress, he became conscious of the fact that Sebastian was waiting for his approval, and he nodded. He decided that Sebastian must know what he was doing, since he doubtlessly had been living in Underland for far longer than Ciel. Furthermore, the idea of getting lost in the dark was not very appealing, any-way.

The older male smiled at him, those eyes shimmering,

"Let's find a good spot, then."

Sebastian urged the horse to resume walking, and at a slow pace they travelled further. The part of the woods they had entered was very overgrown; the trees they went around and past barely let any moonlight shine through. Ciel was struggling to see clearly, and hoped that the rabbit knew where they were, and that they did not need to travel very far.

After a few sharp turns, and once they had passed through large, full-grown hedges, they finally came across a clearing. Ciel blinked as the bright moonlight shone from above into his mismatched eyes.

Sebastian halted the animal's walk and swung his legs to one side, descending from the horse's back. When he stood, he held out his arms to help Ciel down. The younger male allowed himself to be assisted, secretly not liking the height of the horse. It felt good to have his feet meet with the soft grass, but his legs felt strained from sitting still for too long.

Ciel began to vaguely stretch his limbs, and looked at the location the moonlight revealed. If they had not been on the run, and Ciel had not been feeling so terribly hassled, he would have thought the setting to be very lovely:

The clearing was shaped like a circle, and above him was the Heaven already filled with a million twinkling stars; a small but wide pond, filled with clear water lay not far ahead, flowers hanging from the sides towards the surface. Close by, Ciel heard a small 'click'-sound, and he glanced startled at Sebastian in result.

His eyes fell on the pocket watch in Sebastian's hand; the one he had caught after Sebastian had thrown it to him in the first wrestle with the Red Knights, the one he had carried around his neck for the longest of times, until he had been angered with the rabbit and had thrown it away.

Sebastian caught his eyes and smiled.

"I took the liberty of picking it up, the day I left you the letter," he said, clicking the shining object closed, "Thank you for keeping it for me."

Ciel nodded, "You're welcome." He did not want to admit that he had (literally) held the watch so close to his heart numerous of times.

The rabbit led the horse to the pond; the animal drank greedily as Sebastian stroked his mane, "You did well," Ciel heard him mutter. It was fairly odd to see the devil act affectionately, and a certain action of affection sprang to mind.

The boy's cheeks heated, once more, and he shuffled his feet around on the grass, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. In the rush of escaping from the Red Queen's wrath, he had not thought very long about it, but this was the man (was he even a man?) who had kissed him only a few hours ago, and now, the deed was again examined in Ciel's mind…

Ciel shook his head from left-to-right, right-to-left, receiving dizziness; running his hands over his face and all the way through his hair.

"Is something the matter?"

Ciel jumped upon hearing Sebastian's voice breaking the silence. The boy bit his lip in anxiousness.

"No," he lied, his voice soft, "just tired…" He gathered his courage and walked over to the side of the water, where Sebastian still stood. He shivered slightly as a breeze rushed past him, lifting his hair from his face, and giving him goose-bumps.

The older male nodded, and moved to undo the few buttons of his tail-coat – startling Ciel – and shrugged it off;

"Here," he whispered, kneeling down to place the black clothing around the surprised boy's shoulders.

"I apologise for the sleeve, I seem to have shredded it," he added, and Ciel glanced from the right sleeve, hanging from his body, to Sebastian's right arm. The white shirt was ripped as well, but it was too dark for Ciel to see if the rabbit was truly injured. He did not seem to be bothered by it, in any case, so the injury could not be that awful.

A soft neigh broke the silence, and the horse laid himself upon the grass, closing his eyes. Sebastian chuckled, laying back on the ground himself; he crossed his arms behind his head, by means of a cushion, and shut his eyes. Ciel reluctantly sat down on the ground beside him, after pulling his arms through the sleeves of the coat; he grasped the lapel with both his hands, wrapping the clothing tightly around his body.

Unable to sleep just yet, he studied Sebastian in the starlight; the way the long manes of raven-black hair fell around his perfectly defined features; the way his eyes looked when closed, lengthy eyelashes resting upon his cheekbones. Sebastian's tongue came out to wet his lips, and, without truly taking notice of it, Ciel copied the action and felt himself leaning forward in the slightest – cheeks dyed pink.

He caught himself in time, and could withhold himself from – doing what exactly? Sebastian opened his eyes halfway, gazing at Ciel through his lashes. The carmine stare made Ciel turn a darker shade of pink, and he swallow thickly, looking away.

"Lie down," the older mumbled, and Ciel obeyed without a thought; lying on his side, facing away from Sebastian, not wanting to look at the other.

"Good night."

A small chuckle was heard, "Good night, my Lady."

In the end, Ciel did not know when he had fallen asleep. He remembered lying awake for quite some time, listening to the sounds of the night, and the woods, and Sebastian's deep breathing – his hands folded under his head like a pillow; focusing on possible noises of the Red Knights to keep himself from thinking too much.

* * *

><p>He woke with bright sunlight shining past the trees on his face. He let out a small groan, feeling drowsy and not wanting to awake fully, yet. He was comfortable and warm, lying upon something soft, but firm, and attempted to bury his face deeper into his pillow. The cloth smelled very pleasant, something akin to cinnamon and dark wood.<p>

He let out a soft 'hmm', sighing deeply, only to jump nearly out of his skin at the resounding chuckle from beneath him. His eyes snapped open to look startled around: it was day, and he could hear the birds twittering away loudly. Day-light enveloped the clearing, revealing the scenery; revealing the 'pillow' to be actually Sebastian's chest, to what he lay cuddled into.

Ciel let out a high-pitched shriek of surprise, jolting upright. He sat upon Sebastian's body, his legs on either side. The older male smirked up at him, his hands joined around Ciel's slim waist.

"Good morning," he said pleasantly. Ciel mouth almost dropped open in shock, and he stumbled as he tried to wriggle himself out of Sebastian's hold. He fell to the grass in a heap, as the other released him, still grinning brightly.

"You cuddle in your sleep," the rabbit stated, making Ciel blush heavily.

"Bastard!"

Sebastian laughed again, sitting up to stretch his arms above his head like a cat, only for the smile to immediately disappear from his face upon doing so. Ciel had been about to throw a fit of temper, when Sebastian's face revealed him to be in pain.

The boy caught a glimpse of the rabbit's right arm, and in the light he could see a large, deep, dreadful-looking gash stretching itself across the pale flesh. Sebastian lowered his arm to his side, studying the red flesh, hissing slightly.

"Why did you not say anything about that?" Ciel exclaimed, shocked and distracted from his previous embarrassment.

"It did not feel this bad before," the rabbit said, "I thought that it was just a shallow cut."

"Idiot!" Ciel could not help but curse, staring at the wound. Because of the movement, the cut had opened once more, colouring the already red fabric around it with more blood. Ciel reached in the pockets of Sebastian tail-coat, which he still wore, and fished out a handkerchief. He handed it to Sebastian, who pressed it to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

Ciel momentarily forgot about his anger, and realised that it needed to be bound immediately to prevent it from worsening, but they did not have any bindings on them. He looked around in search of something that would suffice and his eyes came to rest on the white bow on his dress. Quickly he struggled to untie it.

He doubted that it was medically correct, but they did not really have another option.

"That's not necessary -" Sebastian began to say (his voice strained in the slightest), when Ciel studied to bow to measure the length and the width of it, but Ciel held up his hand in protest.

"We need that arm to fight the Red Queen, you know," he insisted, and moved closer to Sebastian, sitting on his knees, and laid the white make-shift bindings in his lap. Sebastian seemed to give in, and allowed him to take the kerchief – which, by now, was coloured a deep crimson. Ciel leaned over to the water close by, and soaked the item with it, attempting to rid it of the blood.

Feeling the same colour rise to his face, he refused to look Sebastian in the eye, as he said:

"Your shirt needs to be removed for this…"

He glanced at the older male, as he used his good arm to undo to buttons of his shirt, starting at the top, working slowly due to only having one hand available. Ciel wrung the water out of the handkerchief, and held the damp cloth to the wound.

"Hold this," he muttered. Sebastian pressed on the wound again with his left hand, groaning slightly. Ciel moved to undo the rest of his shirt, hands shaking violently. However, that was only because he was no good at doing buttons, Ciel reasoned. He blushed to the tips of his ears as his fingers accidentally brushed against the strong muscles of Sebastian's stomach, forcing himself to ignore the feel and warmth of the bare flesh.

Struggling, he managed to undo every button, and helped Sebastian to push it of his shoulders, carefully avoiding the cut. He could not look up in the rabbit's face, and forced himself to keep his eyes on the red wound; despite the fact that focusing seemed to be surprisingly more difficult than he had thought. Somehow, Sebastian's bareness distracted him greatly and he caught himself, more than once, taking a small peek at the older male's body.

After using the kerchief to attempt to clean the injury, and to remove most of the blood, he began the warp the improvised bindings around Sebastian's arm; the injured one's eyes following his every movement. The white fabric was dyed darker soon enough, but Ciel continued wrapping until he only had two small ends left; he knotted them together, roughly but firmly, to keep the material from loosening.

Ciel considered his handy-work, and felt quite pleased with himself. He was no specialist in medicine, but it did not look bad at all, and the corners of his mouth twitched upwards in pride. He swiftly grabbed Sebastian shirt and waistcoat, which had been discarded on the ground, and helped the older male to clothe.

Once they were finished, Sebastian smiled, and he let the fingers of his left hand catch Ciel's, which still lay upon the white bandages.

"Thank you," Sebastian whispered, eyes shining amiably, bringing the back of Ciel's hand to his lips, like he had done once before. Ciel began to wonder if the dark red colour is his cheeks would be permanent, and carefully pulled back from the red-eyed male. He got to his feet, and walked over to the horse – his knees feeling oddly weak – and took the reins is his both hands.

"W-we should keep g-going," he said, hoping the other had not noticed his stammer. Sebastian moved over to him, taking the straps from Ciel (the younger jumped when their hands brushed together) and hoisted himself onto the animal's back.

"Can you r-ride like this," Ciel questioned him, before reluctantly climbing on the back of the horse, while refusing Sebastian's help, and sat behind him.

Sebastian glanced over his shoulder, smirking at him, "Do not worry about me, I'll be fine. Especially since you took such good care of me," he added grinning all the more.

Sebastian took Ciel's hands to place them around his waist for safety, and Ciel decided that, indeed, that blush on his cheeks would last forever.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Author's note: <strong>**I would not call this chapter a filler, but... I'm not completely sure how I want the story to evolve, yet, and I did want to update. The next chapters will contain more information about Alice and others, but until then just enjoy some pointless fluff!

**Please Review!**

For Yaoi - I mean, updates.


	14. Chapter 13 Revelations II

Chapter 13 - Revelations II

"I'm not sure what to say…"

The air was filled with mind-numbing tension; the excited smiles and joyful sounds of laughter, that were present not moments before seemed to have disappeared into thin air. The White Rabbit gently placed a gloved hand over the bare, trembling ones of the White Queen.

"I am so sorry," he whispered as she began to cry; tears running like white pearl-drops down her face. Ciel hung his head. He was seated - legs tucked beneath his bottom, hands curled in his lap - in a large, white-cushioned armchair, on the opposite of the white sofa where the rabbit and the White Queen were currently sitting.

They had arrived around mid-day, when the sun had been high in the sky – although now, the sun was not able to enlighten their spirits. The servants, Knights and other occupants of the White Castle had been ecstatic upon seeing them arrive, both in one piece.

Ciel could not count the number of times he had been hugged or embraced. However, not long after arriving, Sebastian had insisted upon speaking with the White Queen, in private.

Therefore, she, he and Ciel had hurried off to a small drawing room, accompanying the large, main, sitting room (where the unknowing others were preparing something - which most likely was a party).

They had news to tell her: her daughter had been found – but not alive.

Sebastian had done the talking, for Ciel could not bring out a word, remembering the last time the White Queen had mentioned her daughter, remembering her sobbing.

She was doing the same, now; proceeding by throwing herself into the White Rabbit's arms, who comfortingly embraced her, rubbing her back.

"I-I did n-not think t-that she would s-still be a-alive, but I k-kept ho-oping..."

"Of course," Sebastian said, "I did, too." He brushed a piece of blond hair from her eyes, holding her close. Ciel stared at the scene in wonder; he had not expected the two to be _this_ close. What's more, he could not recall seeing Sebastian ever holding someone, quite like this.

_Had Sebastian ever held him like this? _

Ciel rubbed the palm of his right hand against his forehead. Why would that matter? He had never cried in front of the demon, in any case, so the raven had no reason to do so. And why was he being so self-centred at a moment such as this?

The rabbit offered the Queen a handkerchief to dry her eyes, which she accepted thankfully. She took a few unsteady breaths, attempting to calm herself. Wiping away her tears, her eyes fell on the rabbit's right arm, and she gasped. The blood had seeped through the makeshift bandage and had formed a large, red blotch.

"What happened?"

Sebastian seemed surprised and he shook his head. He placed his left hand over it, to conceal it from her view.

"It's just a small scratch," he said modestly, "Nothing you should concern yourself with, at this instant." He sounded quite certain, but Ciel recalled seeing him wince slightly just after stepping down from the horse after they had arrived.

The White Queen glanced at him speciously, and actually seemed to be quite a bit relieved to find something else to concern herself with.

"But that needs to be taken care of! I'll ask Bard, he's good with wounds."

"It's nothing, really, Your Majesty -"

"You should have it seen to," Ciel interrupted him. "It is quite deep."

"I'll get Bard!" the White Queen insisted, regaining her composure; she smoothed out her skirts, standing on her heels. Sebastian attempted to protest, but she would hear nothing of it. She hurried out of the room looking for her servant, leaving the two travellers by themselves.

The rabbit looked after her as he sighed, "She should not worry about something trivial as this."

"But she wants to," Ciel said, making Sebastian look at him, taken aback, "It is a distraction from, well, you know…"

The rabbit nodded, understanding, and was about to say something when the Queen hurried into the room again, the blond servant in tow.

"What's the matter?" he asked roughly. Sebastian simply gestured to his arm, and the other knelt in front of him.

"It's not much," the rabbit stated, once again. As Bard began to study the arm, seeming surprisingly professional, the Queen walked over to Ciel. She sat on the floor in front of him, taking his chin between her fingers affectionately.

"My dear, you must be exhausted," she spoke softly; "You must sleep. And I, as well," she added.

The boy nodded, not knowing what to do or say, for the fear of upsetting her. Leaning towards him, she kissed his cheek, making him blush and making her smile a little. She raised herself after that, and walked over to the White Rabbit, and kissed his left cheek, too.

"Thank you," Ciel heard her whisper.

"I'm so glad that you are safe, both of you."

* * *

><p>The soft sound of a fist rapping on dark wood awoke Ciel from his pleasant slumber; opening his eyes, he turned his head on his pillow, glancing at the door, "Hmm?"<p>

After uselessly counting numerous sheep, tossing, and turning, Ciel had finally managed to dive into the world of dreams. He had not been very tired upon arriving, but his nap had been pleasant nonetheless.

The door was opened with a small creaking noise, and a dark-coloured head glanced around the doorpost into the room. Sebastian smiled, "Did I wake you, my Lady?"

Ciel smothered a yawn behind his hand, raising himself upon his under arms; he nodded half-half, his tired mind too lethargic to truly process anything. Sebastian entered the room, balancing a tray with sweet smelling food upon it on his left hand.

"My apologies, then," he continued. He closed the door behind him, walking over to Ciel's bedside.

"I do hope that you are hungry."

He placed the tray upon Ciel's knees, as they boy sat up, and he himself took a seat on the side of Ciel's bed - the mattress sagging slightly because of his weight. The boy took in the freshly baked potatoes and steamed vegetables, suddenly wide awake, stomach rumbling. The boy could not recall the last time he had eaten something, and he eagerly picked up his cutlery.

The elder smirked, as he watched Ciel nearly inhale the food; the silverware clattering against his plate. The boy paid no attention to him, whatsoever. The food was delicious, and he happened to be starving.

He emptied his plate to the last crumb quickly enough, and raised the glass of water, which accompanied his dinner, to his lips, nearly drinking all in one gulp.

Sebastian took away the tray and the remaining dishes, making his way over to the glass table in the middle of the room and placing the set upon it.

As he re-took his seat on the mattress, and Ciel glanced at him, biting his lip.

"How is your arm?"

Sebastian smiled. "It has been stitched and it feels much better. Not that you had not done a great job, yourself."

Ciel felt himself flush slightly, and to change the subject he asked another question: "And how is the Queen?"

"Her White Majesty has retired in her chambers," Sebastian said, looking somewhat regretful, "She is a strong woman, but I think that it will take some time for her to over-come this."

Ciel nodded idly, doubting his words and considering another inquiry that had been roaming in his mind for a while,

"What was she like, Alice, I mean?" He was surprised to see the rabbit smile slightly to himself.

"I was present on the day she was born. For some reason, I can not say why, the White Queen has always favoured me and never failed to invite me over as often as possible. On the fourth of May, her first and only daughter was born: Alice.

A beautiful baby, with bright, blue eyes and fair, light skin, like her mother; her gray curls and nose she inherited from her farther, just like the typical stubbornness." He chuckled lightly.

"She was a vivid, cheerful child, and was loved very dearly. I have attended many of Alice's tea parties. She loved tales of fairies and adventures, and I never minded reading them to her. I also remember her loving the games of chess and croquet. She was easily sociable, and never failed to make everyone smile."

A frown began to mar his handsome visage, his expression darkened,

"Even though she was her mother's daughter in looks, she doted on her farther, and he on her. When it was revealed to her that he had passed away, she became distraught. I was not there when she was told so (I was helping the others investigating), but I believe that she had ran off in tears. It had been thought that she had simply gone to her room, but when the servants had gone up to retrieve her for dinner, she had not been there…

"The castle had been searched throughout, as well as the surroundings, but she had been no-where to be found. The White Knights had been searching every day until today, reporting every evening to the White Queen. While she had not been found alive, they had not found her lifeless body, either; causing everyone to keep on hoping for her return," he paused.

"And now she has been found dead, and all hope has passed with her…" Ciel finished for him.

Sebastian nodded. Ciel stared at the white sheets, thinking deeply.

"Have the servants received the news, yet?"

"Yes," Sebastian answered, "I told them after the Queen had gone to her chambers. I think I may have ruined the party, though."

Ciel snorted lightly, fingering his sheets. He did not know what actions to take, at this moment. Even though he had only been in Underland for a few days (it seemed so much longer) he was determined to dethrone the Red Queen, and give the land of wonders back to the White side; but, now both the White King and Alice had passed, would the White Queen give up hope? Would she be able to reign, again, or be willing to do so?

He thought back at Queen Victoria, who had been in mourning for so long now. He thought back at all the people he had lost.

They had returned, in a way, to this place, this dreamland. Secretly Ciel had hoped to see his father again, for his family to be reunited – but that had been silly, his life would never be the same as it was before his tenth birthday.

He and Alice, they were not so different. Ciel had been told many times that he looked like her, and even he had seen the resemblance – but their equal appearances were to be excepted when they both had the same parents, in some sort of way.

Not to mention that at his tenth birthday he had lost his parents and his happiness; at her tenth birthday she had lost her father and her happiness. He had been taken away and she had run away. He had lost his aunt in the physical sense – by her death – and she had lost her in the psychological sense – by her madness.

But she was dead, and he had survived.

He looked at the man sitting at the end of his bed, in response to his train of thought. Demon Sebastian had saved him from his misery, but rabbit Sebastian had not been able to save Alice.

"You wish you could have saved her," Ciel reasoned, glancing into the other's eyes.

"Yes."

Sebastian eyes were filled with pain. Ciel suddenly felt the odd, burning need to comfort him one way or another, but could not help to decide against it. He was remembered at the last time he had been acting vulnerable towards this man and _that _had happened.

He still did not truly know how he felt about it, and his emotions had become a mess; what he did know, is that he wanted to know _why_.

A hypothesis hit him with a shock, and now he could not stop thinking about the matter; he knew there were more important things to care about, but perhaps they should not dwell on the dead too long. And speaking of the dead, was that why Sebastian acted towards him in this improper way, because he resembled Alice? Had he been_ that_ close to her?

_If that was true, then the situation could easily be illuminated.  
><em>

"I'm not her," Ciel stated suddenly, visibly surprising the rabbit before him, and himself. The older man's eyes widened in astonish; his mouth parted slightly, but only a moment later, those lips morphed into a small attractive smile.

"I am well aware of that, _my Lady_," he said, "Why would you think so otherwise?" His words had a familiar manner of tease to it, which was interesting, considering the seriousness of the situation. Ciel felt as if he was back at the mansion, playing word-games with his butler.

_In any case… there was one point that still needed clarification. Perhaps after admitting this, Sebastian would cease to act towards him this way. And that would be for the best... right?  
><em>

Was this one of those moments: now-or-never?

The younger breathed deeply before looking hard into Sebastian's eyes, his expression (hopefully) tranquil. though, his stomach was filled with nerves in anticipation of what he was going to say:

"You should not call me that. I'm a boy, you know!"

Sebastian was truly smirking now, showing off straight white teeth. The troubles of to-day were momentarily forgotten; like the Queen, the rabbit seemed also pleased to be speaking of something else.

"Yes," he said, "I know."

As if struck by lightening, Ciel's jaw dropped open in bewilderment; he felt like shouting or raging even, but failed to bring out a word. Sebastian's gaze travelled over him, while he sat there, gaping in shock.

"When I was on my way to the Hatter, Felicia (one of the speaking roses that survived) told me that a delicate, young boy with one blue and one purple eye – posing as a young girl – was looking for me. When I saw you at the Hatter's, I immediately recognized you from her description. Those eyes are quite curious, I must admit, but striking nevertheless."

"B-but, you referred to me as a girl ever since we have met! Your t-treated me as one!"

Sebastian raised his eyebrows, "I thought that there must have been a good reason for you to dress in such a way, thus I simply played along. And I treated you in the way I wished to."

Sounds of protest left the boy's mouth, but no true words were formed. Sebastian chuckled lightly to himself.

"Perhaps you should rest some more, you look _very_ distraught." And without so much of an excuse or a retort to Ciel's dispute, he raised himself and was out the door. Ciel stared after him, even as the rabbit had long since left – this provoking-and-leaving-method was certainly becoming a nasty habit of him.

"I'm not chasing after you now!" Ciel said to the empty room. But even though his voice was full of purpose, he doubted his words.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>: Sebastian, you sneaky bastard!

I'm terribly sorry about the delay – again. I have been incredibly busy and have been suffering from one of my many writer's blocks…

But let's move on; thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews! I can not put into words how much they mean to me. Thank you!

**Please, please, Review! **


	15. Chapter 14 Surprises

Chapter 14 - Surprises

"Oh, you really look so cute!"

"Thank you…"

Ciel seated himself next to Elizabeth at the grant breakfast table in the White Castle, pushing his fringe out of his eyes, and letting his eyes wander over the variety of nourishments laid out in front of him; scones, rolls, biscuits, croissants; pancakes layered with syrup, stacks of bread, plates filled with fruit; many, many kinds of tea, coffee, and juices.

Ciel stared at his still-empty, shiny, white plate as Elizabeth began to toy with the pale ruffles around his neck. Bard had given him an odd look as he made his way to the dining hall, staring at the bloomer-like trousers that came to his knees, adorned with long plaids at the back, and the puff-sleeved shirt.

Ciel himself had been surprised this morning, to find such garments in the dressing-box in the closet in his room. Surprised and a little distraught.

That he was given trousers by the Queen only meant that she now knew that he was not a 'Lady', since high-class girls were supposed to wear dresses in public and cover their legs.

In the England he knew, it was not looked well upon for a man to dress in women's clothing. Such an action would surely cause enormous scandals! The White Castle (which he considered his place) would be deadly shamed, and the White Queen herself, as well! But yet, he had not been sent away, and no-one looked at him with very disapproving eyes.

And how did she know? Ciel reasoned that Sebastian must have told her, he was known for having secret tête-à-têtes with Underland's Queens, after all. But, what if he had also told her about that _thing _that had happened in the garden of the Red Queen?

"Ciel? Are you al-right? You look very pale." Elizabeth's voice made him jump, and he glanced quickly in her direction, catching a very worried look on her visage. He swallowed thickly.

"I'm fine; I just did not sleep so very well…" It was not even a lie. He had lain in bed, trashing about for hours, unable to catch any-more sleep. After finally giving up, he climbed out of bed, bathed, dressed in his new outfit, and spent the idle hours of the early morning wandering around the castle. Eventually he arrived in the garden and had sat upon the stone staircase, where he and Elizabeth had talked before; he had pulled his legs up to his chest, leaning his head on his knees, and had stared off into the distance, with an uncomfortable tightness in his stomach – simply trying not to _think_.

He rubbed his eyes with balled hands, imagining large, dark circles under them. Elizabeth continued to shoot him anxious glances, to which he paid no mind.

Around the seventh hour he had left the grounds, and had set off towards the dining room, where he had encountered Bard – preparing breakfast as the White Castle's chef – and, to his amazement, Elizabeth, who explained that she always got up early to make sure that everything was cute enough for the Queen. They had not talked much, apart from Lizzie continually telling him that he did look 'so cute' in trousers, and asking him what he thought of her knee-length white dress, and light stockings.

Ciel was jolted away from his thoughts, once again, as the door swung open, revealing the White Queen, arm in arm with the White Rabbit. Elizabeth raised herself in propriety and the boy hurriedly copied her actions.

"Good morning," the Queen said in a surprisingly joyful tone. She wore a long, white gown, made of silk, adorned with lace and silver-coloured roses, her hair put up in a very complicated-looking chignon. Ciel's eyes, though, were glued to Sebastian, who now truly was a _white_ rabbit; he looked simply dashing in his pallid coat, pale trousers, and silver waistcoat.

When the elder male caught his eyes, Ciel began to feel feverish. He hastily looked away, and sat down as soon as Sebastian had helped the Queen into her seat. That tight feeling in his stomach had returned.

"Did you sleep well, my dear?" It took Ciel quite a few moments to realise that the Queen had directed the question at him, and quickly nodded a 'yes'. Sadly enough for him, she hardly looked convinced. With furrowed brows, she studied him as Ciel tried to hide his tired eyes behind his fringe.

"Well, eat then!" she exclaimed after her long stare. Ciel gazed from his plate to all the food placed on the table, feeling not terribly hungry. Nevertheless, he began to fill his plate with nourishments - pretending to be perfectly well. He could feel Sebastian's eyes on him, raising another flush to his cheeks, but tried to ignore the rabbit.

Bit by bit, the dining room started to fill with people (the servants, the Knights, the guests), which Ciel only acknowledged with a soft-spoken 'good morning' when necessary. He barely ate, but tried to make it seem like he did stuff himself, by layering food on his plate.

When breakfast drew to an end, the Queen stood from her seat to walk over to him, and knelt beside him. Shocked, Ciel sat still, feeling oddly tense.

"Your Majesty," he said in a questioning pitch. She smiled kindly at him and leaned toward him to whisper in his ear:

"I would like to speak to you privately… Will you come to my chambers after you have finished eating?" She glanced at the high stack of food on his plate, seemingly amused.

"O-of course," the boy stuttered. She gave him a smile, "My chambers are in the northern wing; please ask for directions if you can't find them." She raised herself into a standing position and made her way out of the room, wishing the others well.

Ciel looked uncomfortable around him; he surely was the centre of attention, now; everyone except the White Rabbit stared at him.

"Are you in trouble?" Lizzie asked next to him. The boy nodded slowly, and with a sinking feeling in his stomach, he left.

* * *

><p>"Your White Majesty?" Ciel softly knocked on the door, his hands shaking slightly. He nodded good-bye to Finny, who had led him to the northern wing. The boy sped of in the opposite direction, singing a song about flowers – or something of the sort. Ciel truly found it hard to believe that one could continue to be so very innocent and naïve.<p>

"Yes, please come in," the voice on the other end answered his knocking. Ciel turned the handle, and let himself inside the Queen's quarters. Her room was awfully grant, and completely white. Ciel had to blink a few times to get accustomed to the brightness. The room was build in a circular shape, with two, glass double-doors that led to a balcony, and a large sitting area; an enormous bed stood proudly in the middle of the room and the walls were layered with shelves, with numerous glass items on them.

The Queen herself sat in one of the comfortable-looking armchairs by the not-yet-burning fireplace, and was about to rise when Ciel walked towards her and spoke:

"Your Majesty, if I may, I apologise for displaying such disastrous behaviour." Ciel fiddled with the hem of his plaid, and decided that he may as well confess; perhaps his honesty would grant him some remission.

"I am sorry for posing as a girl, but you must know that it was not my choice to do so! When arriving here, I drank something that made me shrink and ate something that made me grow again, but I had destroyed my clothes in the process; a female's dress was all I could find to wear and after that I was assumed to be a girl and was given even more dresses. I know I should have said something before, but –" Ciel's speech was interrupted as the Queen raised her hand, implying him to be silent. He stood awkwardly in front of her chair, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

The Queen examined him from head to toe with a piercing glance, and finally broke the silence after some time by saying:

"You are a boy?"

Ciel felt as if every glass item on the walls had just shattered; his cheeks turned a dark red, and his mouth formed a small 'o'.

"I-I th-hought you k-knew…" he gestured to his clothing. Her White Majesty looked thoughtful.

"Because I gave you trousers? But, my dear, my fashion-designer is merely trying to advertise the trouser as a formal garment for men _and women. _The White Rabbit suggested that you'd like them."

"O-oh…"

"Dear, sit down, please." Ciel swallowed difficultly, and sat down on the sofa across from the White Queen. He placed his hands awkwardly in his lap, hooking one ankle behind the other.

"I asked for your presence," she began, "because you did not seem well. I was afraid that you had become ill again. Did you think that I was going to scold you?" Ciel nodded. "Well, you did lie – and I do not approve of that – but if you prefer to wear women's clothes –"

"I don't!" Ciel interrupted her before he realised it, "I'm sorry…"

To his surprise she smiled at him. She stood from her seat and walked over to the couch to sit next to him, taking his hands in her's. Ciel looked into her eyes, which were equal to his own – or they had been, once.

"You look so much like my daughter... When you arrived, I hoped that it was her, but then I saw your eyes… I already lost one child; don't let me lose one that resembles her so much!"

Ciel gently squeezed her hands, not knowing what to say, and she did the same in return. Her eyes were damp, but she blinked away her tears.

"Let's forget this all, and move on, there are currently more important things to worry about, not?" The young boy nodded and the woman that resembled his mother smiled – or tried to – again. Suddenly, her expression brightened, as if she had just remembered something exciting; surprising and worrying Ciel to some extent.

"But, if you are a boy, you could make the perfect companion for Lady Elizabeth! You two get along well, don't you? We can have the wedding here, if you'd like! Oh, it would be perfect!"

"No!" Ciel protested, startling himself by his own fierce. "I mean," he tried, when the Queen looked very confused, "I don't think that we should decide on such a thing at this moment, I mean... the Red Queen still has power, and wants to kill me, and such…" he trailed off.

Rachel raised her eyebrows, and the resumed her grinning features.

"Do you already have a crush on someone else?" she asked teasingly. Ciel felt his cheeks turn red uncontrollably, making her giggle.

"Oh, pray tell, what is her name?" she inquired curiously, "Do I know her?"

"Your M-Majesty…"

"Oh, you're right, we have more important things to discuss, but I do expect to meet her!" Ciel made an effort of hiding his face behind his hair, and tugged his hands back. The Queen apparently took this as a hint to resume a more serious conversation and ceased her teasing. Her face became stern and she stood quickly; she moved towards the door, and only now, Ciel noticed a bell hanging to the side – he had those at his mansion, too – which she rang.

Not much later, there were three short knocks on the door, and she opened it to reveal the White Rabbit.

"You called for me, Your Majesty?"

"Please sit," she suggested to where Ciel was seated. Sebastian smiled at him, before sitting down next to him, a little too close for Ciel's likening. The Queen took her original seat back, and looked severe.

"I do not like saying this," she said, "But my sister has to be stopped. The question, of course, is how?" She looked at the elder male.

He ran his fingers over his furrowed brow, trying to come up with a solution. Ciel glanced from him to the Queen, thinking deeply.

"There has got to be a way..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> I keep apologizing for taking so long to update, and I will do so again now. I wish I could update faster, but I also want to deliver a nice, well written story; as nice and well written as I (inexperienced and not-native as I am) can deliver.

Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews, I read them all and I love them all – thank you, thank you. I do hope that I have not disappointed and will not disappoint any-one.


	16. Chapter 15 Confusion

Chapter 15 – Confusion

"Why did you not tell her?"

The boy's bare feet felt very warm against the cold, white marble of the corridors of the White Castle. They just had left the Queen's chambers after spending all afternoon in there - coming up with a suitable plan - and the White Rabbit had insisted on walking Ciel to his quarters, since it was getting dark outside.

The rabbit looked at him in surprise, though Ciel did not meet his eyes; his were focused on the floor as soon as the question had been uttered.

"Tell who what?" the rabbit quizzed him. Ciel frowned, suspecting Sebastian to be grinning, and raised his voice:

"You damn well know who and what!"

"The White Queen and that you are a boy?"

"Yes!"

"It did not seem to be my place to do so."

Ciel stopped his tracks and turned to the older male, glaring deadly.

"Well, thanks to you," he said in menacing tone, "she does know, now!" Sebastian had halted his steps additionally, standing still in the hallway - his front facing the boy's side, and studied the almost mad child, turning his head to the side – seeming more like a cat than a rabbit.

"You confessed?" Ciel shuffled his feet on the unpleasantly cold floor.

"I had to! I thought that she had called for me to reprimand me."

Ciel glanced onwards, recognizing the door to his room at the end of the passageway, a 'get-out' of this conversation. Sebastian studied him with careful eyes, and if Ciel did not know him any better, he would have thought him to be worried.

"Was she upset?"

The boy caught the man's eyes, swiftly before looking away again towards his chamber's door and shook his head.

"No, she was a little upset about me 'lying' about my gender, but a few seconds later she wanted to marry me off to Elizabeth…" The White Rabbit let out a laugh, covering his mouth with the fingers of his left hand when Ciel glared in his direction.

"Then what are you making such a fuss about?"

Ciel turned his body fully towards the rabbit, placing his hands on his hips, glaring manically.

"I am making a fuss? You are the one keeping secrets!" The rabbit seemed struck when Ciel raised his voice to a point near screaming; they had been through this stage before.

_Rage._

"First about the Red Queen, and now about the White! You're keeping information from me, even when it concerns me – personally!"

"I did not mean –"

"No, of course you did not, mister Perfect! Tell me; are you as close to the White Queen, as to the Red? You said she favoured you, was her husband not the only one committing adultery? And what about Alice? Hmm?"

Ciel had to stop here, his chest heaving and his lungs gasping for breath. He balled his hands into fists next to his sides, his nails digging into his palms. He himself did not exactly know how this sudden fit of anger came about, and was also a little shocked by his reaction; he had not known that this particular situation affected him _this _badly_.._.

Sebastian apparently took his pause as an opportunity; to Ciel's utter confusion, the older male knelt down to one knee before him, placing his right hand over his chest – where his heart was located.

"I have been foolish," he said, and smiled a little when Ciel seemed to agree, "I had wished to exclude you – protect you – from the dangers of Underland, though I seemed to have failed. Forgive me, please, for thinking of you as a child – I shall not do so again, for I can see that you are far more mature than any."

Ciel stared at him, for a few moments before turning his head to the side and huffing lightly.

"You truly have a silver tongue…" The rabbit smirked, only for a moment, and the resumed his serious manner.

"Forgive me," he said, his tone questioning. Ciel bit his bottom lip; he did not feel like forgiving the man before him.

"You realise," the boy said, "that I am neck-deep into this war?"

"I do, now."

A small sigh escaped the boy's lips, "Damn fool. You mustn't leave me out of anything, that's the worst protection you could give me."

The rabbit nodded, "I realised that when I saw you standing before the Red Queen, with a Red Knight on either of your arms, but old habits happen to die hard. You may ask me anything you wish to know, from now on."

Ciel hooked his left foot behind the right, and held his left wrist with his right, behind his back – a sign that he would not attempt to strike the rabbit, like he had done before.

Sebastian had said that he could ask anything, so why should he not start with that now?

"How close are you to the White Queen?" Was the first question.

"As close as a personal servant is to his dearest master."

"And to Alice?" Came the second one.

"As close as a father to his child. She was a child, for Hell's sake!"

Ciel breathed deeply, and felt a little nervous about the following question - that tightness is his stomach plagued him at the worst moments.

"Did you tell the White Queen about _that_?" Sebastian raised his eyebrows amusedly, a small smirk re-appearing on his lips.

"You do have to help me a little, this time."

Ciel moved the upper part of his left foot along his calf, up and down, down and up, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. The floor seemed suddenly _very_ interesting to him.

"A-ab-bout what h-happened in the R-red garden…" the younger stuttered.

"What happened?" Ciel swiftly glanced up to see the rabbit smirking brightly, and resumed his glaring – or attempted to do so, at least.

Sebastian chuckled and gave in, "Our kiss, you mean? That is a private affair between us."

"It's nothing of an _affair_!"

The other laughed and began to dig into his pockets, fascinating Ciel, who was puzzled to see that the rabbit took his pocket watch into his hands; the elder male detached it from his clothing, and formed the chain into a loop, like a necklace. He leaned closer to Ciel, who backed away by reflex, but was stilled by the sudden appearance of the rabbit's hand on his shoulder.

Sebastian took the chain in both his hand and hung the watch around Ciel's neck. The boy gave him an inquiring look in response.

"I want you to keep this," the White Rabbit said, appearing pleased.

"Why?" Ciel took the silver object in his hands, studying the emblem of Underland on it; this was not the first time he had worn it like this, around his collar, but Sebastian had taken it back from him, then. So why was he giving it back to him, at this moment?

Sebastian encircled Ciel's hands with his own; the boy could feel his own blood pulsing rapidly against the shining object.

"View it as a confirmation of a promise. That I will no longer keep anything from you," he added when Ciel still looked confused.

"Thank you…"

The elder smiled, releasing Ciel's hands and raising himself. He walked to the end of the corridor and opened the door, standing by its side to let the boy pass. Ciel released the watch, letting it hang loose around his neck, and walked past him, stepping inside his quarters, enjoying the feel of the white carpet beneath his feet. Sebastian bowed at the waist before him, smiling brightly.

"Enjoy the rest of you evening, _my Lady_."

Ciel glared.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Oh my Goodness... Oh my Goodness! I've got **one-hundred reviews**! I can't believe it... I can't...

**Thank you! Thank you! All my thankfulness to: **

- Guest (100th reviewer!)**  
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**for reviewing! And, of course, thanks to everyone who has read this story!  
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**~ Doll**


	17. Chapter 16 Gathering

Chapter 16 - Gathering

"Eh?"

"I'm not a girl…"

Elizabeth stared at him with wide green eyes, looking him up and down with a piercing gaze – as if looking for flaws – when he repeated the statement he had made.

After returning to his room this afternoon, he had realised that his carefully and precisely planned dining schedule had been severely messed up ever since he had arrived in Underland, and had dragged himself, around the seventh hour, downstairs for the banquet – thinking he'd might need the energy.

As soon as he had stepped into the large hall, he had been greeted by the bubbly blonde, waving him over, and Ciel had taken a seat to the left side of her; the Queen, who was seated at Lizzie's other side, had smiled generously at him – a gesture he had returned, albeit a little forcefully.

If he had been at dinner at Queen Victoria's, he would have bowed and been more subservient, but he knew by now that _this_ Queen did not care for formalities, as could easily be seen in the table setting: servants, knights, guests and royalty all seated beside each-other, as if equal.

He and his ex-fiancée had begun a conversation; Elizabeth chatting on-and-on about Underland and all the things he_ must_ see – including her house: a lovely, small, pink building in the forest – and all the people she wanted to introduce him to. She had insisted that, if there would be a ball in the future, that he would go, and the he would let her pick his dress…

And Ciel had ended up confessing his 'secret' to a very stunned Elizabeth.

Ciel flushed, especially when the White Queen hid a smile behind her white-gloved hand, and felt suddenly very glad that Sebastian was not yet attending this meal.

"I'm a boy," he said slowly, slightly annoyed that that was not obvious.

"You're male?" To Ciel's shock, Bard (who was seated across from him) revealed – a little too loud for Ciel's likening – to be listening in on their conversation, making various people at the table turn to him, and sent him questioning glances.

"Er-"

"Excuse me," the Queen spoke, tapping the her knife against the side of her white-wine-filled glass; the cling-ing sound filling the room - gartering everyone's attention, "I would like to reveal, with Ciel's permission -" she glanced at Ciel, who, with darkly burning cheeks, nodded.

"I would like to reveal that dear Ciel," she gestured to him, "has managed to deceive you all. He is, in fact, a _he_."

Whispers rushed along the table and the Queen touched her knife to the glass to silence them, again.

"He had been forced to adapt a disguise in order to protect himself, but now he is ready and proud to say 'Gotcha!'. I would like you all to treat him with respect. That will be all," she smiled at him, once more, and he smiled back.

Ciel's eyes caught Bard's, who looked from the Queen to him, before nodding in thought.

"This is better, we need more males here! We're losing them, you know… " And with loud agreements, the matter seemed as good as resolved, surprising the boy in question.

But he knew that, beneath the surface of pleased smiles, and cheerful company, and great dinners, everyone was aware of the possibility of a true war breaking out, and that there were more important themes to consider.

Ciel smiled at Bard and at Finny (sitting next to the elder male). The young, blond boy brightly grinned back, before glancing up and down the table.

"Where is Mister White Rabbit, by the way?" he asked.

"Oh, have no worries. I have asked him to gather some more guests," the Queen caught Ciel's eyes, who gave a small nod in acknowledgement; Ciel did not look forward to the appearance of those 'guests', but they needed all the help they could get for the _ridiculous_ plan they had formed.

Finny smiled as innocently as only he could, and focused on his very full plate. Ciel turned his attention back to Lizzie.

"I'm sorry for lying to you. I have never said that I was a lady, but I have kept the truth from you, and I apologise for that." She looked at him for a few moments more, before throwing her arms around him, and hugging him so tightly he could hardly breathe.

"E-Elizabeth…"

"Lady Lizzie, will you allow him some air?" the Queen asked teasingly, and the girl quickly released him.

"Sorry," she blushed and Her White Majesty giggled.

"It's fine."

"It is, but don't lie again! Promise?"

"Promise," he said, doubting he could keep it.

She smiled, and Ciel was glad to see it. He felt relieved somehow, feeling like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I am a little surprised," the blonde girl admitted, "you are a good actor, and you are very pretty!"

"T-thank you."

The White Queen laughed, "You should not set your hopes on him; he already has his eyes on another..." Her tone was teasing, and she appeared very amused when Ciel blushed.

"Really?! Who?"

"N-no-one!"

"He won't say," the Queen giggled.

"Ooh!"

"Your Majesty!" Ciel exclaimed.

"Oh, al-right. Eat something, then, dear. You have barely eaten at all, and you need it."

Lizzie nodded in agreement, "You're so skinny!" She was giggling, as well, and tried to read clues about the identity of his 'secret love' in his face. Ciel attempted to ignore her, and to change the subject.

The rest of supper passed in tranquil; idly chats were made, silly questions were asked – everyone trying his or her hardest to keep the spirits high. Around the hour of ten, most of the attendants retired to bed; Ciel, however, stayed behind together with the Queen, receiving a kiss on the cheek from Lizzie as she wished him good-night.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p>"Hello, hello!"<p>

It was already around eleven, when the White Rabbit finally made his appearance, with some interesting company in tow; a silver-haired hatter, a dark-haired hare, a light-haired dormouse, and a very enthusiastic, red-haired cat.

Grell was the first to burst into the room after Sebastian, immediately attempting to hug the other male from behind. Sebastian made an impressive dodge, causing the Cheshire Cat to collide with the floor. The rabbit walked over to the White Queen, kissing her out-stretched hand.

"I trust everything went well?" the Queen inquired, paying no attention to the slightly angered Grell. Sebastian nodded.

"As well as everything could go," he replied, smiling. The Queen stood from her seat, stretching her arms wide.

"Please," she said, "have a seat and help yourself."

The Hatter chuckled madly, "Thank you, My Queen." He sat at the end of the table, to the right of the Queen, and the others followed him. William shot Sebastian an irritated look when passing him, and Ronald laid his head upon the table as soon as he was seated.

"I wanna sit next to my Romeo!" Grell exclaimed.

"You have no Romeo," Ciel sighed, as Sebastian sat next beside him. Grell laid his eyes on him for the first time since he had entered the room, and narrowed them to slits.

"You again?"

"Mister Cheshire," Her White Majesty spoke, "Please seat yourself beside Mister March, and listen, for we have a plan we need to discuss,"

Grudgingly, the red-head slumped down next to the other dark-haired male (though, Ciel doubted Grell minded sitting there), and looked in anticipation at the White Queen, as she re-took her own seat.

"Thank you all for being here," she smiled. "As you know, is Underland currently under reign of my sister, and many lives have ended unnecessary, ever since. And that makes stopping her absolutely necessary."

The guests at the table agreed.

"I have realised that my sister will not halt, unless forced. And to force her to do so, she must be overthrown, and the only way to do that is to provoke a battle."

"We," she gestured to herself, Sebastian, and Ciel, "have come up with a _very risky _plan to do so, and your help is absolutely necessary – especially yours, Mister Cheshire," she added, glancing at the cat, who looked pleasantly surprised.

"Are you up for it?"

He seemed intrigued now, leaning forward, listening closer. Ronald was shaken awake by the March Hare, and the Mad Hatter raised his long-nailed fingers to his lips in thought.

The Queen placed her elbows on the table, leaning her chin on her folded hands:

"This is what we want to do…"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> What's the plan? I don't know!

Terribly sorry for the delay... I am very busy with school at the moment, and as that is very important to me, I don't have much time to write... I'll try everything in my might to keep this story from going on hiatus, though.

(Hopefully) until soon! Please review, and thank you for all the reviews given.


	18. Chapter 17 Panic

**EDIT: this chapter has been edited!**

**Note: **In case you don't know; a 'Mary Ann' used to be an insulting, Victorian term for an effeminate sodomite, and sometimes as cross-dresser. It's used a bit ironic here.

* * *

><p><strong>Ciel's Adventures in Wonderland <strong>

Chapter 17 – Panic

* * *

><p>"So this was your sordid little plan, huh? Sneaking after my rabbit and - and seducing him!" The red-haired <em>idiot<em> cornered him as soon as the meeting had ended and the others had gone to make preparations. He stood next to Ciel's chair, with raging green eyes and flaming cheeks beneath make-up.

Ciel stared at him in wonder. _Why did he have to deal with this person?_

"I have no idea what you are talking about, and neither have you," he spoke sternly, his eyebrows knotting together. He raised himself from his seat and turned towards his opponent. He stretched himself out as far as he could, nearly standing on his tip-toes to be a little more near Grell's height.

"Mister Rabbit," Cheshire said, fuming, "_loves_ me, and there is nothing a 'Mary Ann' like you can do about it!"

Ciel gritted his teeth at the insult, his mind racing with a million hurtful replies – but even he knew that words meant little to this man; he sorted through his thoughts, attempting to come up with a more suitable attack. He managed to think of one, and however embarrassing it might be, he knew that the only way of getting this person to leave him be, was to convince him that he had won.

Falling into his act, a devious grin formed on his face, and he held the watch tied around his neck up by its chain.

"You see this?" He held the item up for Grell to see, letting it swing from side to side – like he was about to hypnotise him. The cat stared at the moving object, eyes angry-curious, before downing in recognition.

"This is Mister Rabbit's pocket watch, as you know. He gave it to me as a gift..."

The boy stopped swinging the item and caught the older male's eyes, "If the loves you,_ oh, so much,_ then why am _I_ wearing it, instead of you?"

The ex-reaper's quick paws made a dash for the watch, but Ciel pulled it back just in time - holding it with both his hands, and taking his leave before the cat could do much more than stand blazing in anger, pointed teeth nearly crunching. Ciel left the room with a barely noticeable skip in his step.

* * *

><p>"You seem to have developed a great likening to this particular spot."<p>

Ciel jumped, his back shooting straight like a board; he whipped his head around to look upon the intruder, his shoulders releasing some of their built-up tension when he realised that it was only Sebastian.

It was a time between night and early morning, and the young boy was seated on top of the stairs of the White Garden; his knees pulled up to his chest and his lithe arms wrapped around them.

"My apologies, I had not meant to startle you," the rabbit spoke, stepping closer to him. The elder male suggested with an open palm to the marble Ciel sat upon, "May I?"

The boy nodded, tuning away to continue to stare off into the distance of the garden, like he had done so many times before. The rabbit sat beside him, cross-legged, his hands in his lap, and studied him.

"What did you mean by that?" the boy finally asked him, unable to sit in silence for much longer.

"Well, I have noticed that you have come here before – especially at night."

"Were you watching me?"

The devilish rabbit chuckled, "Not with the sole intent of watching you, I was worried because you were wandering about at night."

"But since you have seen me, you must have been 'wandering about', as well."

The elder ginned, "Clever boy," he teased.

"You know it."

"Indeed."

Ciel sighed, leaning his head upon his knees, away from the castle. Sebastian was right, as always, he reluctantly admitted. He did enjoy coming here, for this place was the calmest of the White Castle; there were no fake smiles or phony cheerfulness. That, and he simply loved to gaze at the rows of white roses – not unlike the ones he grew, himself – and listen to the hushed sounds of the night: the chirps of crickets, the rustling of leaves and plants in the wind.

It was soothing. It even managed to reduce some of the tension that seemed to revolve constantly between the rabbit and the human.

"It's nice," the White Rabbit admitted, and Ciel agreed by nodding his head.

"It is…"

He felt the other's eyes on him, and Ciel glanced at Sebastian. A light breeze rushed past him, lifting the tips of his hair, and the ends of his nightshirt. Ciel welcomed the draft, since his cheeks felt a little warm under the piercing gaze, causing him to avoid the other's eyes and smile.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said, hoping that he indeed sounded so.

"Thinking of your love?" the other inquired abruptly. Ciel startled.

"W-what?"

The rabbit laughed at his shocked reply, "Her White Majesty has been inquiring after someone she suspects you to be enamoured of, and if I knew anything about her. I replied that I did not," he added as Ciel's mouth fell open in a small circular shape.

"W-why is everyone here so damn interested in my love life?!"

Sebastian laughed, broad shoulders shaking.

"I can't say I know that," he said, still grinning. Ciel glared, which made him chuckle even more cheerfully.

Sebastian had not changed out of his white outfit, though he had removed his jacket. The white of his trousers and shirt and the silver of his waist-coat matched his pale skin, but clashed beautifully with the darkness of his hair and the ruby colour of his eyes; eyes that sparkled wonderfully in the shining moon – Ciel's only source of light.

His face heated, and he looked away quickly. That terrible tight feeling in his stomach making its re-appearance…

"My Lady – I mean _My Lord_," Sebastian began. Ciel glanced up, and was surprised to find that Sebastian had leaned towards him. He wished to lean back, but did not find the ability to. He released his knees from the casing of his arms and let his legs and feet glide beside him, steadying himself on his clammy hands.

"Yes?" Involuntary – he blamed his new sitting position for it – he leaned a little closer towards the older male.

The rabbit opened his mouth to speak, though no sound emitted from it. He raised his left hand, catching and tracing Ciel's jaw with it. The boy could feel more of his blood rushing to his face, his heart pounding vividly in his ears.

_They were close…_

Unintentionally, Ciel's eyes drifted down to Sebastian's lips - catching his own bottom one between his teeth. The rabbit's gaze was locked on his, his other hand around Ciel's waist. And even though the youngster's mind slowly began to fill with fog, he realised where this would lead to, as the elder began drawing invisible circles on his side...

_Too close…_

"Romeo!"

Ciel let out a shocked squeak upon hearing the red-head's voice in the quiet garden; his bolt from the blue releasing him from the White Rabbit's grip. As he tried piecing his mind together, and calm his swirling insides, he searched the garden for the Cheshire Cat.

The male next to him released a noise of distain, and, to Ciel's surprise, took the boy's handy in his and pulled him to his feet.

"Come on," he whispered, pulling Ciel away from the stairs, and behind the entrance doors into the castle. Ciel stopped Sebastian from closing the door behind them, and glanced through the gap as the cat just came from around the tall side walls of the castle, standing on the path below the staircase the now-hidden duo had sat upon, his purple striped tail swishing from side to side.

"Oh, Romeo, won't you come and give me a good luck kiss?" He reached his arms into the air, as if saluting the Gods.

"He should have been gone by now," Sebastian complained, taking his place behind Ciel and bending slightly over him to glance through the crack along with the boy; Ciel could feel the heat of Sebastian's body seep through his clothes and swallowed with a little more force than was necessary.

"Oh, Romeo! Your Juliet is waiting for you!" Apparently, what Ciel had said to him did not prevent him from trying again.

"Moron!" the boy hissed in anger, regretting the action immediately as the cat seemed to hear him, responding by turning his head in their direction.

Sebastian grabbed him roughly around the waist and pulled him back, out of Grell's sight, his other hand on Ciel's mouth. The hands suddenly cut of his air circulation and therefore temporally distracted the Earl from the suspecting male outside.

"Romeo?" He could hear the cat coming up the stairs, his voice layered with a curious type of excitement. Ciel held his breath, lips pressed tight together against the white glove; he did not want to be found together with Sebastian sneaking around at night, and especially not in this position.

"What are you doing?" Ciel nearly squeaked as another voice suddenly sounded through.

"Will!" The exclamation was followed by a curious muffled sound.

"You should be on your way, not rummaging about!"

"But I –"

"No buts! Let's go!"

"Oh, will you accompany me, Will?"

"If you shut up!"

Ciel could hear the March Hare muttering something incomprehensible and some eager noises from the other male – he surely did compensate quickly, in Ciel's opinion – their voices becoming less-and-less audible as they moved away from the hidden pair. When they had disappeared out of sight, Sebastian glanced around the door they were hidden behind, and the older removed his hand from Ciel's head.

The boy leaned back and breathed deeply through his nose, he felt as if his head had been forced underneath the surface of water for too long.

"Was that necessary?" he muttered angrily.

"My apologies."

Ciel released a sigh, resting the side of his head against the hard, wooden surface of the door, only to realise that the older still had his hand placed around his waist. He wriggled loose from the strong grip, causing the rabbit to glance back at him with a fleeting look that could only be described as disappointment; however, since it only lasted for a moment, Ciel figured he must have imagined it.

"I have to go."

The White Rabbit closed the heavy door, looking as professional as ever; his face free from any betraying emotions.

"Allow me to walk you to your room."

Ciel allowed him, although the journey was silent and slightly uncomfortable; while he dragged his feet across the carpet, hoped desperately that he would be able to sort out his feelings once he found himself alone in his bedroom.

* * *

><p>"Why…?"<p>

The White Queen leaned over the white-painted, wooden coffin in which her one-and-only daughter lay displayed. Sebastian stepped up behind her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder; the Queen turned to him and threw herself, crying, into his arms. Sebastian held her tenderly, stroking her hair, and trying not to look at what was inside the coffin, himself.

"I'm sorry…"

Grell, possessing the ability to evaporate, and William, who turned out to be a very fast runner, had returned in the early morning, carrying the body they had secretly retrieved from the Red Castle. The Hatter and the Dormouse had stayed up until late to prepare a coffin, in the style of the White Kingdom.

The Queen herself had walked up bravely to view her daughter, but had eventually buckled at the sight of her once-so-lively child.

Ciel used his right hand to pat Lizzie's back, who was weeping onto his shoulder, clutching his left arm. The high spirits of the day before were completely forgotten, and no-one had the ability to pretend anymore.

Over Elizabeth shoulder, caught Ciel Sebastian's glass-rimmed eyes, and he blushed – not having forgotten _that moment_ they almost had the night before. Even so, he chose to not focus on that, shaking his head to get it away from the forefront of his mind; he had more important things to concern himself with, he thought, considering the weightiness of the situation.

His diverted attention was caught by two White Knights, who came in through the double doors – one of them carrying a letter.

"Your Majesty?" the empty-handed Knight asked for her attention.

The blonde woman attempted to dry her tears with the rabbit's handkerchief, although they continued to stream down her face. She glanced at them and at what they came carrying. "R-read it out l-loud."

The Knight opened the letter, and read in a loud clear voice:

"_I know you have her. _

_Is war what you seek? Then it is war what you shall get! _

_The fourteenth, the country-side, prepare. _

_Signed, _

_The Queen of Underland, your sister_."

The room was shocked to silence, an angered response they had anticipated – but not to this extent. Panic was visible in many pairs of eyes.

"A-ah, well," The White Queen spoke through her tears, "a-at least the first part of the plan was able to be carried out…"

_It was time for war._


	19. Chapter 18 To War I

Chapter 18 – To War I

* * *

><p>Alice was to be buried in a large, white, marble tomb above the ground, next to the tomb of her father.<p>

Out in the most secluded part of the gardens, the heavy stone shone in the bright, unfitting sunlight. The white gleam contradicted the White Kingdom of Underland for just today; all participants of the special ceremony were dressed to fit to the current situation. The Queen wore a large, black gown, and a veil before her face, reminding Ciel vaguely of Queen Victoria, and even the vibrant reaper had adjusted his clothing.

Ciel himself wore a black suit, given to him by the Queen's seamstress, his hair combed to one side to cover his right eye. He stood staring at the casket, listening to the simple, but well-held, ceremony. everything went by him as if he was looking through glass at a scene afar from him. For reasons he could not give, he felt simply _empty_.

There was no priest to speak at the ceremony (Ciel began to wonder if Underland had ever had any priests), but Sebastian, also from head to toe in black – including his shirt and gloves – had been asked to speak. He spoke in a low tune to fit his grim words - his eyes cast downwards to hide the visible pain in them. Ciel hardly listened, his chest oddly tight.

He could see Her White Majesty crying all the way through the service and Ciel himself felt a ripple of sorrow soar through him; he had not gone to his parents' funeral, only to his aunt's. He remembered his aunt Ann, and while she had done wicked things as well, he could not help but secretly love and miss her.

However, he did not know how to feel about her now.

In a way, his father also resided there, in that tomb; or someone who closely resembled his father. And _he _could have laid there, just like Alice, had Sebastian not come to his rescue – not answered his calling.

He glanced at the man resembling his butler - having closed his speech, he now stood by the side of the Queen, an arm protectively around her shoulders. Ciel suddenly felt an intense yearning to move over to him, and to be comforted by him like the Queen was, but he pushed those troubling feelings down and away. It was not the moment.

Lizzie (had she noticed his discomfort?) stepped up to stand by him, and as she took his arm in hers, Ciel glanced at her. She gave him a very small smile through her veil, and he returned the gesture, placing a hand upon her on his arm. He felt slightly comforted at the presence of his former-fiancée, and managed to hold his head high throughout the rest of the ceremony.

* * *

><p>As the attendants began to scatter away, he kept standing there, staring at the grave. Not sure what to do, or what to say, or what to <em>feel<em>.

"Ciel?" Lizzie questioned. He shook his head, pulling back his gloved hand.

"You go ahead, I'll be right there," he said, and he watched her hesitantly walk away, glancing back every now and then, the castle seeming too far ahead. Ciel walked up to the white, marble rectangle and he traced his fingers over the carved out letters:

_Princess Alice Victoria White of Underland_

_Born on the 4th of May 1878 – buried on the 4th of June 1891_

_She will be dearly missed._

"I could be you – you know," he whispered, not exactly sure why he spoke those words, "We are very alike."

He blinked rapidly and croaked his throat, forcing back sob, as he heard soft footsteps approach him from behind.

"Are you alright?" He felt a black-gloved hand on his left shoulder, and glanced back at the rabbit-eared man. He nodded quietly, secretly very grateful for Sebastian's company.

"You should go back to the Queen, she needs you." Sebastian smiled.

"Lady Elizabeth is now with her, she will be fine. You, on the other hand, seemed in need for some companionship," he looked worriedly at Ciel.

"What made you think that?" Ciel tried to ask offensively, but his words came out more compassionate than he would have ever feared. Sebastian continued smiling at him.

"Why, was I wrong?"

"P-possibly," Ciel answered, but his actions contrasted his words as he leaned into the other male's warmth; Sebastian pulled the boy flush against him, wrapping his arms around the thin frame. Ciel buried his face into the soft fabric of Sebastian's coat, and inhaled his scent; he smelt like cinnamon and something musky like wood.

He felt the elder hide his nose into his hair, and for one, tiny moment, it felt as if everything was _right_ again.

* * *

><p>Sadly enough, it did not last long.<p>

War was knocking on their door, and plans had to be made. Ciel found himself with Bard in the large training room; a wide and bright hall, with high windows at two of the sides. On the table to one side of the walls, tons of maps were laid out and numerous sketches were spread around - depicting parts of Underland, weaponry, and many things more.

He did not know how this war was meant to be fought, he had questioned Sebastian on the subject, but the answer he had received, confused him even more.

"Have you ever heard of the battle called 'chess'?" the rabbit had asked him. A surprised Ciel had replied that he had, and that he was quite good at it, though he did not understand what it had to do with the war.

Sebastian had not answered his further questions, saying that he would be fine, and telling him not to worry.

Nevertheless, he was sent to train sword-fighting with the other males; an experience which proved to be quite embarrassing. Back in England, he had (against Sebastian's pressing advice) neglected his fencing lessons, and needless to say, his abilities were quite below the expected level. He was reminded of his childhood years, when aunt Frances would criticize him on his stand and stature.

He was of smaller and weaker statue than the others, his shoulders slimmer and his body less muscular; his asthma causing him to get exhausted quicker. He would be told to stay behind longer than the others and to practice longer, causing his muscles to ache more and more with each passing day.

Bard attacked him from the right, moving quickly and causing the boy to land on his already sore bottom. The older male huffed.

"With more training you should be getting better, not worse!"

Ciel, who by now was at the end of his limits, glared at the servant and spat: "There is such a thing as _too much_ training!"

He got a pair of raised eyebrows in response, and scrambled to his feet, throwing his blade to the ground. It landed with a loud clinging-sound, which he found pleasing as it represented his feelings perfectly.

"I've got enough of this!" He stamped towards the table at the side, facing it and using it to support his stand. The watch he had taken from his neck and had laid upon there, told him he had been training for two and a half hours already.

"Oh, have you?!"

Ciel jumped in shock; he had never heard Bard speak so angrily, and turned his body away from the table and towards the older male. Bardroy's eyes had turned to slits and his cheeks were red with fury. Ciel could hardly grasp the situation.

"Is our little princess tired?" he brawled mockingly, turning his head side-ways like a cat.

"Excuse me?!"

Bard stepped up to him, his statue wide and intimidating. Ciel was startled by the way a servant like him could speak, and angry at being spoken to in that way.

"Do you even know what this is about?! This is war!"

"I know that!"

"Then stop acting like a spoiled brat and take your part! You wanted to be in this, and you can't quit whenever you feel like it!" His fists were balled in tension, his blue eyes flaming like Ciel had never seen them before. The boy felt anger boiling in his blood, and took a step towards the tall male, hoping his raised voice would make him appear taller.

"I can't train for three hours without a break!"

"THERE ARE NO BREAKS IN WAR!"

With a start, Ciel was stunned to silence, his ears ringing with the loud voice of his once-chef. He felt his throat close up, as he unconsciously leaned back.

"But-"

"But what?! You come here in your ridiculous dress, and because you look like the Queen's daughter you think everyone should serve you on hands and feet! WELL, GUESS WHAT?! That is _not_ going to happen! You are just a weak sissy, and if it was not for us, you would be dead by now, and listen –"

"What is going on here?"

Bard jumped as his heated dialogue was interrupted by Sebastian entering the room.

"I could hear you all the way across the hall. Is there a problem?" Sebastian inquired, as if he did not know yet. He looked questionably at Ciel, and raised his right eyebrow at Bard.

"This kid-" the blond began, still furiously.

"Ah, I get it already; you are both very tired from exercising and need some rest."

"No, listen, he-"

"He will come with me to his room, and you will return to yours. And keep your voice down, the Queen is upset enough as she is, there is no need to give her more of a headache," he added, looking sternly at Bard.

The older male looked like he would attack the rabbit, but luckily did decide against that, throwing his sword to the floor with a loud clatter. He stormed off, slamming the door closed behind him.

Ciel's emotions seemed to be frozen inside of him, shock overruling them all, but as he glanced at the discarded weapons, he felt shame well up inside him; overflowing like a bucket of water.

He knew the rabbit to be speaking to him, but the words fell to deaf ears; his body felt tight, and full, and hurt, and as the older wanted to reach out to him, he bolted upright, snatched the watch from the table, and ran without a word towards the door, yanking it open disappearing into the hallways and to his room up the stairs.

He could hear the White Rabbit calling him back, but he would not halt or turn around. Blindly he made his way to his quarters, only to lock the door behind him and collapse upon his comforter, burying his face into the soft fabric.

He had not felt like this in years; weak, and ashamed, and in pain. He wished to cry but could not, he wished to scream but could not find his voice. There was a knock on the door, Sebastian voice sounded through it. Ciel did not answer him.

_He wanted to go home._

* * *

><p><strong>Note, please read: <strong>Thank you, thank you all! Quite frankly, I was giving up on the story... I had hit a writer's block, as well as being far to busy with school, and I figured - as I was getting less and less reviews - that no one really enjoyed the story anymore.

But I was quite surprised at all the reviews and PMs I got. So I took the little time I had to write... and I hope I did not disappoint you...

Both **Guest 1**, and** Guest 2**, **Narutopokefan**, **Yana5**, **CrystalCay**, **promocat**, and **Thegraybluekitten**: thank you for your support! **WobblyJelly**: thank you, and of course I still remember you! **orlyzara**: regular updates are very difficult for me, because I never know when life is going to get to me... but I'll try.

**Next update in two weeks from now...**

Thank you for reading, **please review**... they really do matter to me. Even if it is just one word.


	20. Chapter 19 Almost

Chapter 19 – Almost

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><p>"Everything alright, little Miss Ciel?"<p>

The boy lifted his face out of the white comforter – his head felt heavy, his hair sticking to his forehead, his blood pounding in his ears; he glanced at the man sitting on the end of the bed, looking at him with a lopsided curious visage, and Ciel wondered, how in heavens, the black hat did not fall off.

"Hmm?" the Hatter inquired. Ciel raised himself on his upper arms, simply looking on as the older man poured him a cup of steaming tea from a pot and into set that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He glanced over at the clock on his night-stand, which told him that it was a few minutes to ten in the evening.

"You seemed upset, in a way, little Miss."

"I'm not a Miss," Ciel said, sitting up. Folding his legs beneath his bottom, he wriggled his toes. The Undertaker did not seem to hear, or want to hear him, and held the cup out to him.

"I'm fine," the boy added, accepting the cup and lifting it to his lips; not so much drinking the hot liquid yet.

"Mister White Rabbit is a little worried about you."

"He has no need to be."

"No? You're a good liar, Miss Ciel."

The boy took a sip from his tea, the hot fluid burning his throat – a burn he found rather pleasant as it distracted him from the other feelings soaring through him.

Not that he was planning on voicing them to the Undertaker - of all people! He believed everything to be a joke!

"I didn't lie, I am fine," Ciel insisted. He watched the Hatter pour himself a cup, and swallow it all at once. He sent Ciel a toothy grin.

"You're weak."

"I beg your pardon?" Ciel stared at the man in front of him, lowering his cup to his lap.

"It's what the chef said," the Hatter clarified. "He said you're too weak to fight… he he."

The Undertaker laughed, and at that laugh, Ciel felt his body being filled with not only shame, but also anger; in the heat of the moment, a flare of fury made him smash his porcelain cup towards the ground, the fragile thing shattering into many pieces when it collided with the floor, the remaining liquid spilling onto the surface. He glowered at the amused man.

"I am not weak!" he shouted, cheeks flaring. "I may not be as strong as Bard or Sebastian, or as tall, or as well at fighting, but I am not _weak_!"

His chest was heaving, his breathing laboured – the man across of him looked at him with great interest, his long nails tapping his own cup.

"My, my, little Alice…"

"I'm not Alice!"

"I know," the man said amusedly, giggles layering his voice, "You're almost Alice."

Ciel stared, "Almost Alice?"

"Not quite, but Alice," the man posed mysteriously.

"What are you saying?" With the confusion taking its place, Ciel could feel his anger ebbing way. He stared expectantly at the male.

"Well?"

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"Have I figured what out?"

"Miss Ciel," he placed his cup on the night stand and leaned his elbows on his knees; his hands pressed flat together under his chin - palm-to-palm, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

Ciel's jaw dropped open, how could he change the subject like that?

"I already answered your riddle, and you said you did not know the answer yourself," the boy said puzzled.

"That's why I am asking you!" the man leaned towards him, and Ciel backed away. He could almost see the green-rimmed eyes through the thick bangs.

"I shall think about it," he said eventually, more to cease the conservation than to help the other.

He scrambled past the Undertaker, and off his bed. He muttered a quick excuse to slip out of his room, glancing at the standing mirror to the side of the wall. His hair was ruffled, he had bags underneath his eyes; he had not changed out of the clothes he had trained in and he had ended up rumpling them badly; he looked a mess, but he could not care less; if the whole castle was already gossiping about his practice, they would hardly be surprised at his muddled appearance.

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><p>The halls of the White Castle were wide and high, long and bright even if they held no windows. As he sauntered through them, dragging his feet across the floors, he thought. He thought of the war, of Alice, of Sebastian, and of leaving – which he wished to do the most.<p>

But leaving – running - was even weaker.

_Weak… weak… weak…_

The word echoed through his mind, and he could not shrug it off. He had heard it before - too often, actually – and felt it – too frequently. He was remembered of _that time_, in that place; he was humiliated, disgraced... but he had escaped _that hell_.

Now, he had fallen into another and whether he truly wanted to or not, he could not get out. Sebastian was not going to save him this time, no one was.

However, did they all expect _him_ to save them?

He halted his steps, leaning against the wall, and letting himself sag onto the floor; he pulled his knees up to his chin, wringing his fingers together. He closed his eyes, and laid his forehead against his knees, allowing his emotions to wash over him.

When he had followed Sebastian into Underland he had not expected_ this_. He had just wanted to find his butler and be taken back home as soon as would have been possible; now, he might not return home at all, let alone with Sebastian.

_Sebastian..._

He did not know what to think of the man – one side of him wanted to be angry, to rage at him for getting him involved in this abnormal situation, the other side of him felt something he could not put his finger on, or did not want to put his finger on, rather.

That kiss they had shared in the gardens of the Red Castle was constantly on the forefront of his mind; the absurdity of it, but mostly the way he felt during it. He should have felt disgusted and insulted at being taken advantage of in that way, but he had found himself in nearly the same situation the night on the staircase, and he had not wanted to back away.

_Oh, Sebastian…_

Did Sebastian wish to get _involved _with him? He opened his eyes, staring at the fabric of his training clothes. Was that the rabbit's plan all along?

And more importantly, what did Ciel himself want?

He raised his head, staring at the wallpaper across of him. He had not wanted to escape Sebastian's advances – did that mean that a small part of him also wanted this?

"My, what are you doing here, my love?"

Ciel let out a startled, little noise; he looked up to see the White Queen standing over him, her face wrinkled with worry.

Ciel lowered his knees to the floor, and opened his mouth to answer, though no further sounds emitted from him. He did not know what to say, as he had no reason to be here; let alone to speak of his thoughts to the Queen! She might look like his mother, but he even doubted that she would approve…

But the Queen did not ask him anything and simply gave him a small, but kind, smile.

"Please come with me," she said softly, holding her hand out to him. As he found no way out, he took her hand and allowed himself to be helped up. She took him with her, but Ciel paid hardly any attention to the walk and where they were going; he did not let his eyes leave the white floors.

Her White Majesty led him to the training room he had escaped from just hours ago - somewhere he really did not want to be; he said nothing of it.

Only upon entering the room, he looked up, gazing for differences in the setting. His eyes fell on a mannequin standing in the corner, wearing an amour made of light, shining silver - fit to a small person.

"I want you to wear this," the woman resembling his mother said, walking up to the armour and letting her fingertips trace the silver surface. Ciel stared at her. She seemed surprisingly calm for a woman who had lost both her husband and her child in death, and her sister in life. Was it a façade?

He walked up to the statue, standing next to the Queen, and examined it.

"Was this meant for Alice?" he dared to ask. The Queen's mask slipped away for a moment upon hearing her daughter's name, but she regained her posture, and nodded.

"You know," Ciel began softly, "that I am not her." The Queen looked surprised, her eyes widening.

"I am aware of that," she said, "but you are about her height," she added, holding her hand above his head, pretending to be measuring. Ciel nodded towards the floor.

"According to the Hatter, I am "almost Alice," he muttered. The Queen laughed softly, and muttered something along the lines of 'that sounds like the Hatter'.

She placed her hands upon his shoulders, attempting to look him into the eyes; with some difficulty as Ciel avoided her glance.

"I want you to be safe. So please..."

Ciel knew better than to argue with a pained, female person, having learned a little from his quarrels with Elizabeth, and nodded passively, but to his surprise, she leapt into his arms and encircled him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Be safe," she whispered into his hair. Ciel patted her softly on her back, stroking her hair.

"I promise I'll be."

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><p><strong>Note<strong>: A fast update, who would have thought?

I forgot that you could only give one review per chapter, so I'm sorry to everyone who tried to review but could not. I hope it will not hinder you from trying again this time. I would really love to read some feedback...

Next update next week, maybe?


	21. Chapter 20 To War II

Chapter 20 – To War II

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><p>The amour fit him perfectly, as if it were made to his size; it was constructed of expensive, light silver, so it would be easier to move around in, and barely creaked when he walked up and down the training room. Ciel stretched out his arms, the Queen admiring the way it looked on him, smiling with her hands clasped together under her chin, her eyes soft and caring.<p>

She had asked him to change into it immediately, and Ciel – who had nothing to do besides train – had complied, though he had made the Queen giggle very amusedly when he carefully asked her if he could change in private. She had left the room, and after closing the curtains Ciel fumbled for at least half an hour with the metal – never having worn something like this before.

When he had finished (disregarding the helmet), he had been sure that the Queen had already left, but she was patiently waiting in a chair outside the room, humming while embroidering a white handkerchief. She had looked up and smiled, and pushed him back inside the room to make him walk around for a bit.

The metal shoes were uncomfortable, but Ciel ignored the harsh movement against his soles, not wishing to be rude. It was a gift, after all.

"It's perfect!"

Ciel weakly smiled at the White Queen, flexing his metal-covered fingers; oddly enough, he felt better wearing this odd costume – as if he became a true warrior by simply putting on different clothes. Maybe the clothes really made the man.

Warrior or not, he did jump when there were three soft knocks on the door, and his eyes flew to the Queen - who remained perfectly calm answered the noise with a curious 'yes'. A black-haired head looked around the door, white rabbit ears standing upwards in alert, contemplating the setting, before entering. Sebastian bowed at his waist, eyes sparking brightly behind his spectacles.

"That suits you very well, My Lord," he grinned. Ciel rolled his eyes, turning his back towards the White Rabbit.

"I thought you did not lie," he muttered just loudly enough for Sebastian to hear. He glanced back around his shoulder to see Sebastian raise an eyebrow at him.

"I do not."

Ciel felt his cheeks burn slightly and he turned to move towards the table - his back to the Queen (although he did not think of that) and the rabbit. He picked up one of the maps of Underland, pretending to study it as he listened to the conversation taking place behind him.

"Your Majesty, I apologise for the interruption, but you are asked for by Lady Elizabeth – if you are not too busy, of course."

"Ah, yes, she had already asked for my time this morning at breakfast! I must have forgotten! Oh, Ciel?"

The boy jumped, dropped the map on the table and turned towards the white-dressed woman; he nodded.

"Yes?"

"Why don't you take a break?" she asked him. She walked over to him and placed her right hand on his shoulder, lifting his chin with the fingers and thumb of her left hand, "You look like you could use some rest…"

Ciel nodded, remembering his appearance in the mirror in his room, the bags underneath his eyes, and felt slightly embarrassed. Every now and then, the Queen looked far too much like his mother for him to remember that he was in the presence of actual royalty.

She let her hands slip to her side, and nodded towards the White Rabbit, who moved to open the door for her – looking more like a gentleman than the butler Ciel was used to. The boy began to fiddle with the items on the table; his thoughts from before, made it uncomfortable to be alone with the older man. He drew in a sharp breath as he heard Sebastian walk towards him, and he turned his body slightly to the rabbit.

"What is it?" he questioned. Sebastian furrowed his brow, looking troubled.

"Is something the matter?" he asked his former master.

Ciel blinked at him, "Why would something be the matter?" he asked, moving some of the maps around on the table, twisting away from the man. Sebastian laid his hand on Ciel's shoulder, cautiously turning the boy back towards him.

"You ran away, before. There must be something bothering you."

Ciel shrugged off the offending hand, glaring at the bold once-butler.

"Don't act like you did not hear everything!" Sebastian looked taken aback, his ears shooting up-straight in surprise, he nodded to himself and raised a hand to his lips. Ciel tried not to imagine the sensation of the fabric of the white gloves touching the sensitive flesh.

"I only heard Bard's shouting… is that what is bothering you?" he inquired.

"Of course that is it! Do you think I like to be called a 'weak sissy'?!" How could Sebastian not understand this? He had been terribly shamed by the chef! A servant! And the worst part was: Ciel believed him to be right...

Sebastian raised his hands as if to defend himself from Ciel's anger; the boy pinched the bridge of his nose. Why did he always end up shouting at the rabbit? With great care, Sebastian placed his right hand back upon the boys shoulder, and when Ciel glanced up, he could see Sebastian's eyes filled with true concern for him.

"You know," the rabbit began, his voice soft and compassionate, "that he is terribly wrong, don't you?" Ciel gazed up into the man's eyes; when he felt the other's hand slide down his shoulder to slightly rub his arm, Ciel knew that he had not been able to mask the unbelief in his eyes.

"He is wrong – he has got it all mixed up…"

"Do you think me good fighter, then?"

The elder chuckled, "That is not what I meant," he said kindly. He let his hand slide down to Ciel's hand, taking it in his. Ciel savoured the feeling of the glove against his skin, before the cloth was exchanged for the softness of Sebastian's lips - a light hand kiss was something he was nearly used to, now.

"True strength is not the strength of the body, but of the mind," Sebastian stated, barely squeezing Ciel's hand. The younger male glanced downwards, doubting the words; Sebastian used his free hand to lift Ciel's chin upwards to look into his eyes, smiling slightly.

"And you… you have one of the strongest minds I have ever come across," Sebastian whispered – a compliment for only Ciel's ears to hear. Sebastian truly had a silver tongue - being able to speak words as if they were plain facts, and not only him opinions. The boy blushed, his eyes moving to the floor, wondering if he could find an interesting pattern in the dull tiles. Sebastian pulled the boy closer to him by his hand, his thumb stroking his cheek.

Ciel's stole a glance at Sebastian's face, his flush deepening at the look in the older man's eyes. Ciel's heart beat angrily against his ribcage, something odd fluttered in his tightly constricted stomach. Sebastian smiled, leaning closer; Ciel held his breath and closed his eyes. The blue orbs flew open again when he felt a soft pressure on his right cheek. He looked at Sebastian in wonder as the older male leaned back. the caused Sebastian to raise an eyebrow at the boy, and Ciel coloured furiously as he backed away.

Pitifully enough, Ciel had anticipated a little more than a kiss upon the cheek. The Earl broke away from the male's grip, pulling back his hand. He tried to look Sebastian directly into the eyes – trying to pretend nothing happened, and most certainly not to feel disappointed.

To distract himself, he moved away from the White Rabbit over to the stand were the weapons were located. He took out his sword, that had been sensibly put away, and unsheathed it from it's casing. He inspected the blade – and jumped slightly as he heard an accompanying sliding of metal-against-metal behind him.

He turned to look at Sebastian, who held a blade in his own hand; the elder sent him a smile, eyes asking.

"Shall we practise?"

A surprised Ciel stared, but nodded after considering the suggestion. He put away the sheath, and gripped his sword by the heft; he took his stand, Sebastian doing the same, smiling at him. They had not stood like this in a long time, and the idea of resuming his trainings did not appeal to Ciel. But he knew, that if he had to practise - he would want to do it with this man.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

* * *

><p>As they were all getting ready to leave, Ciel, already dressed in his armour, walked over to Bard; the blonde chef was smoking out of nervousness as he was attempting to organize the equipment, occasionally letting something tumble from his hands or fumbling to sheath the swords<p>

"Bardroy?" Ciel asked carefully, his hands locked behind his back. The man turned towards him, eyebrows raised in question. A look Ciel did not like, but which he ignored.

"Hmm? What do you want?"

Ciel stared at the marble tiles beneath him, before raising his head and looked into Bard's the eye. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself: if he were to say it - and he had to, even if he was not the type to surrender his pride - he'd better say it now. This was war and he did not like the idea of entering it like this.

"I'm sorry."

The man was taken aback, eyes widening and the cigarette slimming from between his lips to the floor as his mouth parted in surprise. Apparently, he had not expected Ciel to apologise, and Ciel did not blame him for that. He had never apologized to Bard before - or even felt the need to.

"I'm sorry for not practising enough, and for being too... stubborn..." Ciel let out a breath he did not know he was holding and stood straighter in his metal footwear - preparing to speak the what bothered him the most: "You were right."

Bard remained silent too long for Ciel's likening, and the boy was about to turn away when a hand was held out to him.

"I'm not good with words and stuff... but it's fine..." the chef said and Ciel smiled, taking the offered hand. They shook hands in truce.

"Thank you," Ciel said, glad that his apology was accepted by the man.

"Maybe I was a little harsh on you..." Bard admitted, smiling weakly when he released Ciel's hand.

Ciel shrugged, "Sometimes being harsh is necessary," he muttered, and Bard nodded in agreement. "You can learn from it."

Picking up his cigarette, and putting it out in his nearly empty cigarette case; the blonde man was about to resume his work, when he seemed to think of something and he suggested to the weapons he had to gather and organize for travel. He looked questionably at Ciel, "Wanna help out?"

Ciel nodded.

"Sure"

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> Thank you for all the reviews! Please keep them coming! If you do, I'll try to update again next week... ;)

Also, I agree with all the comments about the Undertaker - he was born (made?) to be the Hatter. :)


	22. Chapter 21 War

Chapter 21 - War

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><p>Ciel stared at the inexplicable scene before him. When they had told him that it was war, he expected war; he had expected to fight, he had prepared to fight.<p>

But in this Wonderland, nothing was like he had expected.

Before him lay a gigantic, white-and-red chessboard. And as their party approached it, he could see the Red Queen standing on one side. Her servants and Knights, and to Ciel's horror, some chained villagers, already stood behind her in their game positions: pawns, towers, knights...

The spot for the queen was still empty, but the spot of king had been taken by none other than Aleister Chamber! Who looked quite pleased with himself, standing proud in his red suit.

The White Queen led them to the board and approached her sister. Careful steps were taken by the two of them, until they faced each other on the middle of the board. Ciel almost expected them to start fighting as soon as they reached each other, lashing out and pulling the other's hair, but they seemed surprisingly calm.

"Hello sister." The Red Queen spat the word 'sister' like it was some appalling sin, her mouth pursed. The White Queen closed her eyes for a moment, as if the blow had physically hurt her, and took a deep breath.

"We don't have to fight."

"Don't be ridiculous!" The Red Queen said in a high, sing-song-like voice. "We have come all this way! Look! I even brought some guest!" She gestured to the chained villagers - her smile cruel and merciless. She had truly gone mad... Ciel stared at the fear-filled faces of the people and pitied them greatly, the way they could barely stand on their shuddering legs.

Suddenly Angelica's pleasant voice turned for the worst and she snarled: "Soon Underland will see who it's true leader is! Because you will be dead," the last she added pleasantly, the changes in tone of her voice unnerved Ciel more than her words did. She clasped her gloved hands together.

"Ann..."

"No! The crown is mine! You took everything away from me! UNDERLAND IS MINE!"

She turned her back towards her sister and stormed off to her side of the board. The White Queen imitated her action in a calmer manner and turned to her followers, who had come by choice – not by force.

"Prepare," she said simply. Taking her place at the square meant for the white queen.

Ciel began to wonder if he was the only one who had no idea to what was going on. Where they going to play chess? Was that all?

Then why all the hard trainings?

Why had everyone been so vague to him?

He glanced at the Red Queen and she caught his eyes from across the broad: "Hello, Alice," she snarled.

When Ciel opened his mouth to say something, feeling anger course through him, the White Queen interrupted him: "Ciel, I want you next to me. " Ciel glanced over as she suggested to the spot next to her, meant for the king. He approached her carefully, and looked at her questionably.

"Are you sure, Your Majesty, maybe the White Rabbit can..."

"No, it has to be you," Ciel was struck by her seriousness and could not help but obey. He stood, wriggling his toes in his armour, realising that he might be a bit overdressed - looking at all the simple attires, next to her; his stomach curled all around itself in nerves and he glanced at Sebastian who took a spot as a knight, and then at Lizzie, who took the other knight's place. Their nervous faces did not calm him.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Let the games begin!" The Red Queen shouted.

* * *

><p>As always, White was the first to move.<p>

"Pawn from E2 to E4!" One of the White Knights, their shape suiting their positions, moved two paces forward; a simple move. The Red Queen followed her gesture, inviting her sister to play. The White Queen did not take the shuddering citizen (playing a pawn), even when she had the chance, and moved another piece instead.

Only on the fourth move, Ciel realised that this was nowhere near normal chess. The Red Queen ordered the citizen to take the White Queen's first pawn, and as the man drew his sword, Ciel knew that something was not right. The citizen boldly attacked the White Knight; he aimed his sword towards the Knight's right arm, but missed, and the Knight took his sword in hand. There was a loud 'clash' as their swords collided. They withdrew them, only to meet again. The sounds of the weapons was deafening to Ciel's ears, and even before it happened, he realised that this fight could not end well.

They suffered a misfortune, when the White Knight was taken by surprise by an aim for his heart - the metal piercing through his body. He did not bled, but it killed him.

Ciel gasped, his mouth opened wide, and he would have stepped forward if it was not for the white-gloved hand on him arm. The White Queen held him back, her face struck with pain, as the White Knight was dragged off to the side of the board by the man, who took the place of the late-Knight.

"Don't move," she whispered, "It will count as a turn."

The Queens moved their pieces, and Ciel stood on shaking legs. Whenever he was told to move, he did so shuddering. The White Queen made sure to keep him out of danger, but Ciel worried for the others. What if they lost? Would they all be killed?!

He held his breath as Elizabeth fought a Red Knight, and did not breathe until she won and the card-like piece was sent crashing to the ground. Even though victory was hers, she did not look happy – and Ciel could understand why. She had killed a man, and his death had not been necessary.

Even though they did not enjoy this 'game', they were doing rather well, their pile of destroyed Knights (the White Queen refused to kill the citizens) higher than the Red Queen's, although they had lost several White Knights and Ronald the Dormouse - who had simply stood no chance, Ciel began to feel hopeful. The Cheshire Cat provided quite an impressive battle by vaporizing and re-appearing every time his opponent attacked him and both Lizzie and Maylene showed the board how to 'fight like a girl' – an extraordinary powerful sight.

He gazed upon the board, having calmed down slightly, really taking in the positions for the first time. His happiness began to ebb away as he regarded the positions, shock flowing though his veins like ice cold water.

"Your Majesty!"

The Queen glanced back at him, and smiled - she had noticed as well... completely closed in, she had two options: allowing her sister to close in on Ciel, ending the game in 'check mate', or sacrificing herself. She smiled at Ciel, looking calm, too calm for his liking...

"Ciel, I want you to take over -"

"No!"

"I cannot be killed, it is against the rules," she muttered softly, "the war can only end by the king's death." Bravely, she stepped up to the Red Knight, refusing to listen to Ciel's pleas; he looked her up and down as she smiled at him, took his sword by the sharpened edge and hit her squarely in the head with the heft.

"NO!"

"Yes!" The Red Queen looked utterly triumphant, grinning from ear-to-ear as her sister was dragged off to the side; her eyes twinkled madly as she looked into Ciel's eyes:

"It's is just you and me now, 'Alice'..."

Ciel furrowed his brows, his eyes becoming slim like slits; he would not lose this!

He let his eyes roam over the board, taking his time. He had not expected to fight this battle himself, but he had no choice now. He considered the pieces, and let his eyes fall on one of the knights: Sebastian. The former butler and Earl met glances, and Sebastian nodded when he understood Ciel's intentions. The boy smirked towards the Red Queen.

"Knight to D5!"

Sebastian stepped forward, approaching the Red Knight waiting for him. Ciel held his composure as they drew their swords, and lurched towards each other; their blades met, withdrew, met... Ciel flinched as the Knight's sword nearly grazed his knight's side; he held his breath, the loud noise of their blades upsetting him.

A sharp blow from the right surprised the Red Knight, and pierced right through his card-like body; the Knight fell to the ground, splayed out over square C5 and D6, and Sebastian straightened triumphantly. He sheathed his sword, and grinned towards his former master as he flung the Knight of the board.

The Red Queen looked severely disappointed, her brow furrowed, her lips in a thin line. She weighted her options and after some consideration she sent Chamber after Bard; a fierce battle unfolded on square F7, right before the boys eyes, and Ciel was sure Bard would win… until he lost. They caught eyes as Chamber's swords latched between his ribs, and Ciel felt something snap inside him as the older male sagged to the ground – blood spilling from the wound on his chest. He clutched his chest, holding onto life, groaning in pain, but it was already too late for him.

His head hit the ground, eyes unseeing...

The Queen and her Knights cheered – Ciel gasped. He felt as if he could not breathe, staring at the body of his chef. And as the Viscount dragged him away, Ciel was filled with sorrow, anger and a burning desire for revenge. The boy breathed deeply, trying to calm himself - feeling blood rush up his neck - as the Queen laughed mockingly, but that only encouraged the rise of wrath inside of him. He raised his head to look dead into the eyes of the Red Queen, and glared.

He stepped one place forward, surprising the Red Queen and the others, making them gasp. A soft 'Ciel…' slipped from Elizabeth's lips, Maylene let out a little scream.

"Check." After the surprise had been lifted, the The Queen smiled at him, mocking him and taking his bait like he expected her to. He braced himself for the worst, and the one thing the White Queen had attempted to avoid.

"King to F6!" The Viscount of Druit walked up to him. The elder man stared at the little boy before him, and smiled - Ciel kept his features under perfect control.

"Don't worry! This will be over soon," he said haughtily, taking his sword in his hand.

"Indeed," Ciel agreed, tightly gripping his - preparing for battle, preparing to fight, preparing to_ win_.

_For Bard._

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>A promise is a promise... and this is it for today, you guys and girls...

Because I am very busy with school, next update will be after my school year is finished... around the beginning of July... please wait for me...

**Thank you for reading and please review!**


	23. Chapter 22 The Last Duel

Chapter 22 – The Last Duel

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><p>Ciel regarded the red king, waiting for him to make the first move. The best way of attacking is defending, after all.<p>

From the looks of it, the older man already thought himself to be the winner of the duel, smiling as if slaying Ciel was no more than slicing a piece of tea-cake. But that confidence, that one thing he had too much of, Ciel thought, is just what could be his downfall, and a smile toyed around Ciel's lips, as he braced himself.

Chamber attacked Ciel's left, as he had expected, since it was his right, but instead of colliding their swords, Ciel simply dodged the move by moving to his right - surprising the older male. The man tried again, his right – this time – and Ciel darted the move, once more.

Ciel knew he could not win this by physical strength – not that he was proud of his incompetence - but he could win this by tactic. And so he shall.

Aleister Chamber let out a frustrated growl, and Ciel swung his blade; it hit the elders with a clang, and then made a loud swish-like noise as Ciel quickly withdrew his sword, stepping back. He steadied himself, feet apart, and waited for the next blow. It came with more force than he had expected and grazed the left side of his armour, luckily not doing much harm. Ciel inwardly thanked his Queen for the protection, and – regaining confidence – aimed right for Chamber's chest. It surprised the male and he was just able to defend himself with his blade, blocking Ciel. His brow was furrowed, his eyes narrow like slits; he had obviously thought that this would be an easier task.

Ciel stepped further back; by now, he had long left square F6, but (as he had learned watching) that was not against the rules. As the Viscount lurched at him once more – he ducked. Small as he was, he slipped beneath the raised right arm around the Viscount, forcing him to turn, and so winning time. The boy's heart was beating rapidly into his chest, as he caught his breath, blood pumping in his ears.

Ciel attacked, excitement rushed trough him, their blades colliding right before the man's handsome face, the eyes wide and scared. Nevertheless, the elder held more strength in him than the boy, and he managed to lower their swords towards the ground. Aleister Chamber withdrew his sword and surprised Ciel with a blow to his left leg.

The silver ripped under the sharp edge of the sword – not sparing Ciel's skin. The boy lost his stand and fell to the ground; he gasped as sharp edge of the Viscount's blade was placed against his neck – not so much harming the skin, but close enough for Ciel to refrain from moving. Perfectly still, he even held his breath, feeling the sword against his pale flesh, the warm thick liquid cascading in a slow stream down his leg.

The elder man smiled at him, and just when Ciel thought that the end was near, the man was roughly pulled back by an arm around his neck.

"The Rabbit is breaking the rules!" the Red Queen shouted, and Ciel scrambled to his feet to see Sebastian attacking the Viscount of Druitt with a determination that would frighten any man, even the confident golden-haired Viscount.

"Do something!"

"We can't, Your Majesty! He has not moved from his spot!"

Ciel stared the Red Knight standing close by and happily realised him to be right. Sebastian must have stretched himself out a great deal to grab a hold of Aleister Chamber, all the while staying on D5 – and not breaking the rules by making it count as a turn; the participants were allowed to do as they pleased when it was not their turn to move, as long as they stayed within the drawn boundaries of their square.

He stood frozen for a second as the two males fought their duel to the dead, shocked in surprise, but the moment the Viscount's blade met with Sebastian's hip, he was rudely shaken out of his trance. Having long forgotten about his own injury, the young boy quickly snatched his sword from the ground, which he had dropped in his fall, and ran up behind the Viscount. Making one of the boldest moves in his life, he jumped – latching himself onto the back of the man, making him stagger.

"Off with his head!" the Red Queen shouted… and Ciel carried out her order.

Ciel did not know how to feel or where to look even, as he fell back onto the marble checker-board, bruising his side and his head, as the elder man's body caved – like any human, he was unable to function without the head attached to the neck. He stared at his blood-covered sword, and at the empty violet eyes of the lone head, out of which the same blood flew, not being able to think.

The board was silent, Ciel struggled to stand. He returned his dirtied sword to the sheath around his waist, and walked back to square F6, staring Her Red Majesty right into her shock-filled eyes.

"Check Mate."

She gaped, mouth falling open into a little 'o', eyes wide. Ciel recalled that look, it was the very same she had worn when the red, grim reaper had killed her - just like that time, she had not expected to loose. Now, the boy could see every muscle in her face move from bewilderment into red-blazing anger.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"

Ciel waited, unable to be joyous yet, watching the Red Knights, who seemed at confusion of what to do, until the first - a brave one - dropped his sword to the ground. His action was soon duplicated by a second night, and then a third, until all remaining Red Knights had discarded their weaponries, as well as the villagers. The Red Queen gawked at the spectacle before her.

"What is this?!" she demanded.

"You have lost," a soft voice to Ciel's side spoke, "They will no longer follow you, Angelina."

The White Queen raised herself from the ground, a nasty bruise covering the right side of her forehead, and walked up to her sister, refusing the help of her Knights. Angelina's cheeks were blazing in anger and she lurched towards her sister – only to be held back by the Hatter and the March Hare, who caught her arms in a tight grip; right behind her the Cheshire Cat appeared, snatching the crown from her head, and vaporising with it to re-appear behind Her White Majesty - placing it carefully upon her blonde head. Ciel watched the golden object turn magically silver and smiled.

They had won.

As if it were a cue, everyone on the board began to cheer, clap, and shout. Ciel was tackled by Lizzie and Finny and Maylene, who seemed to wish to squeeze him to death by hugging as tightly as they were, but Ciel did not mind. He grinned brightly as the Hatter and the March Hare bound Angelina – for she was no longer the _Red Queen_, and grinned even brighter when the _real_ Queen informed her that she would be banished from Underland to never return.

Ciel caught the eyes of Sebastian over Elizabeth's shoulder, and as he finally managed to wriggle himself free from the grip of his small, but lively, crowd, he dashed towards the rabbit-eared male. As soon as he reached him, Sebastian lifted the boy into his arms; smiling from ear-to-ear like the rabbit, Ciel's wrapped his arms his around the older male's neck and his legs around his waist; satisfied, he buried his face into the raven hair, and breathed in the cinnamon-like scent of it.

"I'm so proud of you," the White Rabbit whispered and Ciel, his stomach nearly _fluttering_, raised his head out of the black stands to look into those ruby eyes. The boy's face split into a smile, and – in the heat of the moment, forgetting the pain in his leg, the body of the Viscount, and even the bystanders – Ciel closed his eyes and kissed him. For a moment, a slim, wonderful moment, time seemed to stand still; a wild feeling surged through Ciel's young body, winding his stomach in somehow exciting knots and bringing a dark pleased flush to his cheeks; he did not want to end the moment, not for the world, but the loss of well-needed air forced Ciel to end the caress.

When he opened his eyes, Sebastian stared at him in confusion, but looking terribly pleased nevertheless. Holding Ciel tight, he smiled, and looked as if he never wanted to let him go - and, truth to be told, Ciel wished for the same.

"You, son of a –"

Ciel jumped at the outburst, quickly looking into the direction of the exclamation. Even when he felt jumbled and embarrassed that he had displayed such affection in public, he could not suppress a smirk as it was Grell's turn to be forcefulyl held back. However, when the White Queen caught his eye, Ciel blushed furiously in shame, glancing down - only to look upwards again in wonder as Rachel laughed.

"Well, this explains a lot!"

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>Here's the update I promised you girls and guys; I hope I have not made you wait too long. Updates will be weekly on Tuesday (today is Tuesday for me, I don't know about you) until the end of the story. It is not over yet, but we are nearly there...

Thank you for reading and please review! Those little comments make me very happy!


	24. Chapter 23 Mourning

Chapter 23 – Mourning

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><p>The war had been won and Ciel could not feel more relieved, but after their wounds had been bound and they were gathering their items, the true loss that they suffered, was finally realised.<p>

They had lost many men, villagers (when they had no choice but to kill them in the battle) and most importantly to the people standing on the board: Ronald and Bardroy.

Ciel had known that the Dormouse had stood no chance against the evil Red Queen, but seeing him fall had been an unpleasant sight, even so. Neither was it pleasant watching on now, as the Hatter and the March Hare wrapped the lifeless body in a white cloth, to hide it from their eyes. Ciel had never liked the nearly- blonde reaper, but even so, pitied his friends and even Grell – since the red-haired male shed many tears.

"No need to cry," the Hatter said, "He had a good life!"

"I'm not c-crying about him!" Grell wailed, "I'm crying because I lost m-my bunny to that _brat_!"

Ciel shook his head, discarding the idiot for what he was, as he moved over to the Queen, who welcomed him with open arms; Ciel was enveloped in one of those tight hugs of hers and buried his face into her hair.

Taking slow breaths herself, she stroked his back, smiling slightly. All the excitement from the moment before was slightly forgotten and put aside for grief. The one who Ciel truly mourned was Bard, who had taught him so much – and Ciel had hardly thanked him for that. He found it less hard to admit to himself than he would have thought that he missed the chef quite terribly.

The boy broke away from the Queen's embrace and reached up to wipe away a tear that had slipped from her left eye onto her cheek. She gave him a smile, cupping his face in her hands.

"I'm glad that you are safe," she said, and Ciel felt terribly touched by her soft-spoken words.

"So am I… that you are," he admitted, forcing himself to smile like her. He found it terribly difficult to see her cry and had to fight back the tightness in his own throat. She released his face to take off his hand-pieces of his silver armour – discarding them simply to the floor - and taking his bare hands in hers, swinging their locked hands childishly back and forth – making Ciel laugh slightly.

"You did so well," she spoke in admiration. "Really, you did," she added as she saw a unbelief flash across Ciel's eyes.

The boy shook his head.

"Not good enough," he said, blaming himself for the blonde man's death. He should have been more careful; he should not have sent Bard to fight with that Red Knight.

The White Queen disagreed, squeezing his hands.

"You did all you could," she said, "You did the best of all."

"Bard would have been proud," she added in all seriousness, and Ciel had to roughly cough to hold back a sob. The woman who looked so much like his mother pulled him back into her arms, cradling his head.

"There, there, now. You were so happy before! Where did that happiness go?" Her tone was light and comforting. Ciel bit his lip, wishing that Sebastian had not left his side to help Maylene and Finnian cover Bard's body – but could not be upset with them, for they could only weep upon the sight of the bloodied figure.

"Hmm?" The Queen ran her fingers through his hair; Ciel leaned back to look at her.

"Do I need to call the White Rabbit over?" she teased, as if she had read his thoughts. Ciel felt his already flushed cheeks - due to feeling he held back – darken in colour.

"Your M-Majesty," he stuttered, watching her giggle.

"What?" she feigned innocence, happy to see him divert his thoughts to something else, "you seemed _very_ pleased with him before," she stretched the word 'very' in a way that made Ciel want to hide, and he broke away from her arms.

"T-that was just…" he began, but could find no way to finish his sentence. He did not know why he had suddenly kissed Sebastian, but he knew that even if he tried to feel regret, he could not. He bowed his head.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, though he was not being truthful, "I should not have… kissed him." He nervously glanced up at the Queen to gaze her reaction, and was stunned to see her simply raise an eyebrow at him in confusion.

"Why ever?" she asked in wonder. Ciel blinked.

"Well… the law…" he said, though he remained staggered when the Queen's expression became only more confused.

"Law, my dear?"

"In England… there is a law," he said, his tone as if it should be obvious to her, "it states that a male may not… kiss another."

He could have not been more shocked (and secretly slightly pleased) as the Queen was taken aback by this piece of information. Her face was filled with astonishment before it changed into a slight tremor of anger.

"What? You tell me that in your country they forbid love?!" Ciel did not know how to reply, or how to explain how his people thought (and he was supposed to think) of the 'love' which they called 'sin'. He simply nodded, causing Rachel to shake her head, muttering something about "idiotic 'Englanders'". Much time to ponder the laws of Underland he had not, though, when he remembered something the Queen had said.

"Your Majesty –"

"Rachel."

"Umm, Rachel, what did you mean when you said that… eh – 'that explains a lot'?" he recalled the Queen's words after he had shared that fateful kiss with the rabbit. He did not know what kind of answer he even wanted.

"Oh!" she smiled, "Well, I knew you loved someone - call it women's instinct – but I did not know whom." She looked rather pleased with herself, and her tone held a slight humour that made Ciel's stomach cringe with nerves.

"I hoped it to be Lady Elizabeth at first – she likes you terribly, you know – but I suppose it makes sense that it was the Rabbit, since you either seemed awfully in conflict with him or terribly in likening with him."

"Why would being in conflict with him suggest that I… fancied him?"

"One can't possibly have such heated arguments with someone who they do not care about," she reasoned. It was more of this Wonderland's logic that Ciel would never understand. The White Queen let her white gloved hand stroke the boy's right cheek.

"As long as the choice is yours, I have nothing against you being with the White Rabbit."

Ciel had not realised how heavy the burden resting on his shoulders was until she lifted it with her approval. He smiled, and grinned when she pinched his cheek as if he were a child; she appeared to be pleased with his reaction and followed suit. When he had been sitting listening to Latin verb in his study, he would have never believed himself to even consider participating in this kind of things, but things had changed; Underland had changed _him._

"Though," she said, "I think you may have broken some hearts along the road."

Ciel laughed, "Grell, you mean?"

"I think she means me," a voice behind him spoke and Ciel jumped when he recognised it as Elizabeth's. He whirled around quickly to come face-to-face with the blonde, mouse-eared girl, her face covered in tear streaks, her tail between her legs. She gave him a weak smile, and Ciel was at odds of what to say.

As he opened his mouth, she held up her hand to silence him.

"It's alright," she spoke quietly, taking his hand in hers like the Queen had done.

"I just want you to be happy."

"I want that for you too," Ciel said, honestly speaking to her for the first time in years he added: "That's why we should not be together." Elizabeth nodded and another tear rolled down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away with her free hand. He took his chance, because he was not sure if he would ever have the opportunity to say this.

"Lizzie… I do care for you, in a way," he admitted, "You've always been my friend." She smiled through her sorrow, and hurled at him to hug him. Ciel let her and felt pleased to wrap his arms around her thin frame. However, over her shoulder he could see Sebastian making his way over to them – the bodies having been placed on the cart they had tied to the back of the horse carriages to move the weapons.

"Your Majesty, Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian bowed at the waist, "My Lord."

Ciel felt his cheeks flush, and absentmindedly felt Lizzie release him. The rabbit smiled at him, before turning his attention to the Queen.

"Your Majesty, we are ready to depart to the Castle," he posed, suggesting behind them. "What do you wish to do with the 'guests' your sister took with her?" Ciel shuddered when he realised that those 'guests' had been her prisoners, or something very close to that - they must be horribly scarred, he thought, remembering the children that had 'worked' for Baron Kelvin. The The Queen looked thoughtful, furrowing her brows.

"Either take them home or with us to the Castle. Have them decide on that choice for themselves, I think they would like that..." Sebastian nodded at her order, and turned on his heels to inform the others of the plans.

Moving towards Ciel and Elizabeth, the Queen placed a hand on each of both of their shoulders, and smiled.

"I'm very proud of you, both of you." Ciel could not help a smile himself as he saw Elizabeth beam, and decided to add a little compliment himself: "You are a remarkable fighter, I am very impressed," and he indeed sounded that way. His comment made Lizzie grin from ear-to-ear, tail swishing happily.

Ciel bowed to the women before he slipped from under the Queen's hand and away, to the carriages that were being readied by the others. Sebastian saw him nearing and smiled, causing Ciel to feel his insides warm a bit, he rubbed his sweaty palms against each other. He approached Finny and Maylene, and embraced each of them, doing his best to wipe their tears away and smile. He felt obliged to do so.

"You've done so well," he glowed and helped them assist the still-frightened but nevertheless joyful villagers into the carriages, hoping there to be enough room for everyone. After he had helped a brown-haired man with a ruffled appearance into one of the carriages that were supposed to go back to the villages, he heard the Queen approach.

Sebastian helped her step into the white vehicle and aided Elizabeth and Maylene to join her. Finnian refused to be seated and therefore got the reins handed by the rabbit, climbing onto the drivers-seat. Sebastian knocked onto the surface of the coach, and Finny made the two horses in front of it begin a slow pace towards the White Castle.

After he had seen them off, he walked over to Ciel, a familiar smirk upon his lips.

"Will you join me?" he asked Ciel, and the boy followed him to a white horse with a black mark stretching over its left eye, which he recognized as the horse he had ridden to the Red Castle and back. Ciel approached the animal - which neighed happily, recognising him as well - and stroked the horse's fur and manes, smiling to himself.

"I fear that there are not enough carriages, but there are enough horses," the man next to him admitted. He brushed a piece of mane out of the horse's left eye.

"That's alright," Ciel said, understanding what Sebastian was suggesting. The older male smiled, removing his soiled gloves, taking the reins, and mounting the animal; he seated himself before bowing down to help Ciel into the back. From the corner of his eye, Ciel could see Grell (standing next to William) glaring. Climbing onto the animal, Ciel did not think twice as he wrapped his arms around Sebastian's waist. Sebastian turned to speak to the Hatter.

"Will you see to the rest?" he spoke loudly, not so much a question. The hatted man nodded, making a hand-sign suggesting that he took it as an order, elbowing the red-head into the ribs as he tried to move closer to the rabbit. Ciel smiled as William knotted his fingers in the back of Grell's coat possessively.

"Shall we?" Sebastian turned back to Ciel, who nodded happily.

Sebastian moved to make the horse walk, and in a slow pace they followed the white carriage that was disappearing into the distance, as neither felt the need to catch up. Not taking his eyes from the road, Sebastian spoke to him.

"I hope you are feeling alright?"

"I am.. are you?" Even though he could not see, he knew the man to be smiling.

"I am fine… I am very glad that everything is finally restored to the way it is supposed to be," he said, "It is a shame that it took so many sacrifices," he added. Ciel nodded in agreement – not minding that Sebastian could not see. Sebastian switched the reins to his left hand, placing his right on Ciel's, wrapped around his waist.

"Bard would have been proud of you," the rabbit said. "The way you fought… "

Ciel bowed his head, looking to the side, staring at the pebbles on the ground.

"He should not have died," the boy muttered.

"Him and the others… I remember the day my dear friend died… Did I tell you about that?" Ciel thought back, remembering walking around the ruins of a village, before they were caught by the Red Knights.

"The one of the city that burned?"

"Yes, Agni." Ciel startled, sure of the fact that Sebastian had felt him jump, because the hand on his suddenly tightened.

"Agni?" he breathed.

"Had I not told you?"

"You never told me his name…"

"Oh," the White Rabbit murmured kindly, "my friend attempted to save his master, Soma, who died with him." Even though Ciel had never liked the too-enthusiastic Prince and his odd Indian customs, Ciel felt sorrow hollow out his stomach. He scrunched up his brows, biting his lip.

"Oh…" Ciel copied. The careful hand wrapped snugly around Ciel's right gave it a little squeeze.

"My apologies, I should not have spoken of it."

"It's alright."

"No, I have obviously upset you," he said, looking back. Ciel shook his head.

"You have not… The people you mentioned reminded me of some people I knew before I came here, that's all."

"Ah, yes," Sebastian turned his eyes back to the road, gazing into the distance, "England, right?"

"Right."

"What is it like, England?" the man asked – voice both curiously interested and somewhat relieved to be speaking of something else. Ciel had to ponder the question wisely, taking his time in providing an answer; Sebastian did not push.

"Horribly suffocating," is what he came up with in the end, and the rabbit laughed – his ears twitching, which made Ciel smile. The boy buried his face into the rabbit's clothed back, inhaling the scent that lay underneath the grime and the blood, listening to the soft calming chuckles of the man.

For once, he felt truly calm, and he wished it to last.

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>I nearly forgot to update... luckily I did not, and none of you must forget to review. The next chapter will be online next week, that will also be the last... but the will be an epilogue after that. Until next Tuesday and thank you for reading!

Edit: Ouch, that typo actually hurt... I usually double check and everything, but I had a long day at work... Ah well, thank you for telling me!


	25. Chapter 24 Celebration

Chapter 24 - Celebration

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><p>For the first time in days, Ciel felt like he could finally, truly breathe again.<p>

He smiled brightly as he stepped down the stairs, the long back of his white garment flowing behind him. The Queen had seen to his outfit and he had to admit that he looked quite nice in the white jacket that clashed somehow fitting with the pink waistcoat underneath. For once, his trousers reached down to past his knees and were tucked into his white, high boots, the laces of them matching the waistcoat; a pink bow and the watch Sebastian had given him around his neck completed the outfit.

Although is was not an outfit he would choose himself, he thought that the Queen deserved to fawn a little over him after all the trouble, even if she giggled at the way he looked - all pretty in pink.

As he reached the last steps, Sebastian stepped up to him, reaching out a hand to him to help him down; Ciel took the white-gloved hand and smiled, feeling his cheeks burn. Sebastian wore a bright white dinner suit, a black waist-coat pressed down his white shirt which was tied highly by a small black bow-tie. The man kissed Ciel's hand, and the boy nervously shuffled around on his heels.

"You look wonderful," Sebastian smiled, not releasing the hand.

"Thank you," Ciel muttered embarrassedly, "You don't look half-bad yourself," he added grinning. Sebastian smirked, entwining their fingers. Ciel felt at odds at the public displays of affection, but he had no argument - he was the one who had kissed Sebastian in front of everyone, after all...

Ciel felt his colour worsen at the thought.

The boy let himself being led to one of the sofas standing against the white celebration hall of the White Castle; as Ciel let himself fall onto the soft plush cushions with a manner that could in no way be described as proper, which made Sebastian snicker in amusement, Ciel regarded the settings.

The room meant for dancing and enjoying one-self was one Ciel had never visited before, since he had never had the reason to, and he took in the high, circular walls and the arches supporting the dome that was the roof. Looking up, the magnitude of the building was nearly overwhelming, and the boy could hardly imagine how one could build something such as this. The light came from the many candles placed upside-down from the dome, and walls were decorated with long, white cloths - draping elegantly over the entrances and floor; the hall included double doors leading to a part of the gardens Ciel had never entered, standing open to let in the warm air of the night.

Soft music echoed through the room, as the March Hare played the violin and Ciel watched the Queen dance elegantly with the Hatter (who danced with a lot less grace) and Lizzie dance with Finnian, and Ciel could not help but wonder (or perhaps hope) if something was blossoming between the two.

On the left side of the entrance door of the ballroom a table with many candles and pictures stood; in honour of those who had passed.

Ciel had personally lighted one of Bard's candles himself, as soon as they had reached the castle; the table was then moved from the entrance hall to this hall, as it seemed.

The boy startled as a gloved hand caressed his cheek, and he turned to Sebastian, seated next to him; as Ciel sent him a weak smile, embarrassed, that was returned by the rabbit.

"You think too much," Sebastian said, his kind eyes looking worried. Ciel averted his.

"Is there such a thing as thinking too much?"

"When it if of bad things, yes."

Ciel frowned, "Who said that I thought of bad things?" Sebastian chuckled.

"Your eyes did," the man admitted, "is there not pleasant thought you wish to focus on?"

"But what if I think too much on a good thing?" the boy playfully bantered. Sebastian frowned at the inquirey.

"Is there ever such a thing as too much good?"

Ciel pondered the question, staring at this healed feet.

"Perhaps," he said, "if the good is fake,"

"Than it is no good," the rabbit smiled, and Ciel looked up to him.

"What are the pleasant things you think of, then?" the boy asked, curiously, and the smile of the man broke into a grin. He leaned forward, placing his face nearer to Ciel's as he whispered:

"You."

Ciel flushed a nasty shade of pink, and looked away into his lap; staring too long into those devilish eyes made him feel that the demon (that was Sebastian) could see right into his heart and mind. The older male's hand fell from his cheek, and Ciel glanced up at the sudden loss of physical contact to see the Hatter and the Queen making their way over to them.

"G'evening," the man resembling the Undertaker giggled, the tall hat dangerously wobbling on his head. Ciel nodded to acknowledge their presence. The Queen offered her pale hand to Sebastian, offering a dance. The rabbit glanced over to Ciel, and it took the boy a while to realise that the man was asking for his permission. Touched by the gesture, Ciel nodded, and watched as the Queen and the White Rabbit departed onto the dance floor, were Elizabeth was attempting to teach the clumsy Maylene the waltz. Ciel remained behind with the Hatter, who sat beside him and who's grin, as always, slightly unnerved him.

"Feeling a little better, Miss?" he asked the young male, who by now had gotten used to the nickname, and simply nodded.

"I assume you are well, also," the boy posed politely. The odd man only giggled.

"You did well, Alice," he said after a moment of silence. Ciel stared at the lopsided grin; he shook his head.

"Once again, I'm not Alice," the boy muttered, though he knew he might as well could have been talking to a deaf man. The answer of the hatted male surprised him, however.

"Sure you are."

The once-Earl raised his eyebrows in question.

"No, I can't be. You said so yourself!"

"I said you were 'almost Alice', but that was before. You are Alice now." Ciel stared in wonder at him, was he being serious? Of course, the Undertaker was never truly serious - but did he mean what he just said? And what, in heaven's name, did it mean?

"What?"

"Hmm?"

The boy rolled his eyes, there was just no talking to this person. But even so, he attempted to do so again; from the past he had leared, that every now and then, the Undertaker did have something of value to say.

"How can I be Alice now?" he asked, "It is impossible for me to turn in the Queen's daughter overnight!" The Hatter looked surprised, turning his head to the side, like a cat, to study Ciel. The hat he wore somehow remained on his head. After some apparently careful consideration he burst out in laughter.

"Of course you are not the Queen's daughter!"

"You just said I was Alice!"

"You are Alice." Ciel stared. Was he being made fun of?

"Alice," the Hatter explained, suddenly looking more sane, "is not a person, but a name."

"A name?"

"The name we give to the maddest of all!"

"...Why, thank you..."

Ciel did not know why exactly he felt disappointed, he shook his head at the man seated next to him and divided his attention to the slow waltz of the Queen White Rabbit, only feeling slightly envious watching them. He jumped when he felt a long black fingernail tapping on his shoulder, and glanced back at the Hatter.

"Do you know it yet?" Ciel blinked.

"Know what?"

"Why are raven is like a writing desk." Ciel gawked at the Hatter thinking carefully, before coming up with a answer that satisfied him:

"Because there is a 'b' in both," the boy smirked, "and a 'n' in neither." His answer made the Hatter tumble backwards in laughter, hitting his head on the armrest (which pleased Ciel), and holding his stomach as if the amusement physically pained him.

"A... a 'b' in both!" the man repeated him, "A 'n' in.. neither!"

Ciel ignored this and went back to looking at the dancers, wondering if Elizabeth's toes were yet sore from Maylene stepping on them - although her perked mouse-ears gave away no such thing, before he let his eyes wander from an upset Grell standing in the corner, back to his own animal-eared butler. Said man caught his eyes, and halted his steps; bowing to the Queen, he excused himself and made his way back to Ciel.

When he reached the couch, he paid no attention to the other man, and simply took Ciel's hand - pulling him onto his feet, and away from the crowded room. Ciel was surprised when Sebastian led him through the double doors - carefully lifting the white cloth that had fallen from the wall to half-way cover the way out - far into the gardens. The man said not a word, as he let him to and through the path of the white roses Ciel had looked upon before, away from the prying eyes from inside the castle.

Hidden between two rows of white and green, the rabbit halted their pace, stopped to look upon the nearest rosebush, and selected one of the flowers he deemed the loveliest. He snapped the stem using his fingertips so only the flower itself and a small bit of green remained, and offered it to Ciel - who took it and held it in his open palms, smiling. He lifted the bloom to his nose and closed his eyes as the sweet smell overwhelmed him.

"Thank you."

The rabbit smiled, and Ciel felt no shame as he moved closer to the older male, standing on his tiptoes, to kiss him. What had he to be ashamed for, since such things were not even illegal here? Was there anything against is?

At any other time, he would have shocked himself to be giving up on 'morality' so easily - he had been raised to be a 'proper' English gentleman, knowing of virtues and sins, and yet here he was, participation in the latter.

But he had discarded God and virtue a long time ago, and societies morals were not his own.

After they shared a kiss that was even more delightfully sweet than the rose that caused it, Sebastian took the blossom from the boy's hand to tuck it behind a small ear, caught Ciel's left hand in his right, and placed his left around the youngster's waist.

Even though they could not hear the music from inside the castle, Sebastian led him in a dance which could not be quite called a 'waltz', as they moved too little, but was nice nevertheless. Ciel blushed as he shook his head.

"If you wished to dance, you could have just asked," the boy said, looking up into the red eyes, "there was no need to drag me all the way to here."

"I thought you liked it here?" the man asked him in surprise.

"I do," Ciel answered. Sebastian smiled.

"Then I made the right decision 'dragging' you out here, don't you think?" Ciel laughed softly, and lightly rested his head onto Sebastian's chest, their pace slowing until the only remained slightly swaying from side to side.

"Ciel?" the boy jumped at being spoken so directly to and looked up into the devil's face.

"Yes?"

"Are you happy?"

The question was last inquiry he had expected, terribly direct, and the boy stood still in the man's arms as he thought.

Happy? Was he happy?

Could he ever be happy again, after all that had happened?

But looking into the man's ruby eyes, which were filled with an emotion Ciel only recently began feeling himself, even after he had sworn to never feel it again, all to avoid being hurt, he could not help but nod a quiet 'yes'.

Sebastian smiled as he leaned down to kiss him again, an action Ciel fully welcomed and he closed his eyes as Sebastian's lips descended onto his own – gently setting his body on low, simmering fire. The boy stood on the very tips of his shoes to wrap his arms around the man's neck, their kiss slowly deepening in something Ciel had absolutely no experience with, but which he enjoyed as much as it thrilled him.

As the boy felt his insides constrict and coil and heat like an angry snake, but, all too soon, he was rudely shaken from his wonderful experience by a shrill voice beside him:

"See! I told you so!"

Ciel broke the kiss to glace at the row of silver roses beside him – which he could have sworn he heard the noise coming from – to discover the pink rose he had met at the very begging of his journey, in the garden behind the room of many doors.

"See! I told you they were lovers!" she exclaimed to her companion – a yellow rose next to her.

"Hello again, love!" she added when she saw Ciel's startled expression.

"Look what you did!" the yellow rose next to her cried, "You interrupted them! And it was just getting good…" Ciel felt his face become the same shade as the rose that had interrupted them, and he turned even redder when Sebastian could hardly contain his laughter.

"Good evening, ladies," he simply greeted, taking Ciel's hand in his and pulling the thankful boy away from the pair of roses.

"Sorry about that," the rabbit said, when they were nearing the castle.

"It's not your fault."

When Ciel re-entered the ballroom (in which the Hatter was now playing a cheerful tune on the violin) hand-in-hand with the White Rabbit, he felt quite a few pairs of eyes on him. Clasping their hands more firmly together, Sebastian looked at him questionably.

"Do you enjoy parties, my Lord?" Ciel answered him with a 'no', only to be pulled across the room, and out into the hall of the castle, away from their prying eyes. As they passed the guests of the White Castle, Ciel could have sworn he saw the March Hare lead the Cheshire Cat onto the dance floor.

The hall was cold and quiet compared to the room they had just been in, but Ciel hardly minded it as Sebastian led him up the stairs deeper into the castle. Ciel did not ask where they were going, but was slightly surprised as he ended up in front of the door to his room.

Sebastian waited patiently for Ciel to open it and followed in only when Ciel – who was not sure what Sebastian was planning – let him in.

"I thought," the rabbit-eared man said, "that you could use some peace and quiet, after all the exertions of the day." He walked over to the glass table in Ciel's room to inspect what was beneath the lid of the silver dish, which proved to be strawberries, and poured him and Ciel a glass of champagne from the bottle that stood besides it.

Ciel sat upon his bed, and – nervous about the action – suggested Sebastian to sit beside him. The devil complied, handing Ciel a glass of bubbling, sweet liquid and raised his, Ciel following suit.

"To Wonderland," the boy toasted, causing Sebastian to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Don't you mean Underland?" he asked, confusion marring his face. For a moment he seemed to reconsider his idea to give Ciel alcohol.

"No," Ciel grinned. Sebastian laughed understanding it to be a joke.

"To Wonderland!"

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><p><strong>Note<strong>: This is the last chapter, you guys. Stay tuned for the epilogue next week!


	26. Epilogue Dream

Epilogue – Dream

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><p>When Ciel opened his eyes, he did not know where he was, how he got there, or what had happened. The surroundings he had once been so familiar with were a mystery to him – he could not recall any part of the White Castle to resemble this: the grey flowered wallpaper, the plain, closed door, the dark carpet, the wooden desk on which he rested his arms – that had been a makeshift pillow for his head, and the textbook which read: <em>Latin, grammar worthy of a ceasar<em>.

As if struck by lightning, desperation filled him. When he finally recognized the setting, he sat up straight with a start in the big, plush chair, his fingers digging into the firm sides of it.

What had happened? Where was the White Rabbit?

A knock on the door startled him, and Ciel was almost afraid to invite the person on the other side to enter; even so, he had no choice, and a croaked "Come in." slipped past his lips.

"Ah, young master, finally awake, I see?" Sebastian entered through the door, fully clothed in his butler uniform and free of any rabbit appendages. Ciel felt his jaw drop.

_What?_

"Is everything alright, young master?" the butler asked him. He had stepped up to Ciel's desk, one arm behind his back, polite and yet looking as if he had been about to tease his master for falling asleep so 'vulnerably'. Now, however, he seemed to have changed his mind, judging by his knotted brow. And so, he turned his head to the left side, regarding his stunned master; Ciel closed his mouth, a flush becoming apparent on his cheeks.

Was this Sebastian? He looked like Sebastian – but just as well he looked like the White Rabbit: the same hair, eyes, nose, lips…

Sebastian leaned forward to place a hand on the boy's forehead – making sure he had nothing akin to a fever, for the demon must have thought him to be behaving oddly; the boy swatted the hand away, raising himself from his seat, backing away from the demon as if frightened, but in truth only very, very confused.

"My Lord?"

"Where am I?!" the boy exclaimed. Sebastian stared at him.

"In your study, my Lord." He stated the obvious, plain and clear. The simple announcement fell like a gunshot to Ciel's ears, furiously racing though the air and shattering everything in its way.

"What?!"

"Sir? Have you fallen ill?" Sebastian asked directly, he appeared to be truly getting worried about his master. Was he actually concerned? Like the White Rabbit would have been? Or did he simply think the boy mad - delirious?

"What happened?" the boy yelled, his confusion finally evolving into anger. Why had no-one told him anything? Why had he not been warned? Asked if this was what he'd wanted?

Taking yet another step back, he nearly tripped over his own heeled feet. He remembered falling asleep in his room in the White Castle, the White Rabbit by his side… Why, oh why, was he in the study in his mansion in England?

Sebastian seemed to have no clue of what to say or to do. Hopelessly, he tried to calm his master, stepping around the desk and approaching the boy with a careful hand – only to be batted away. He did not wish to be touched. Instead, he demanded an explanation.

The demon struggled to give him one: "Well, I was attempting to educate you on Latin, but you fell asleep."

"A-asleep…" The word rang in his ears as if he heard it for the first time in his life; unable to process it, to understand its meaning.

"Yes… Did you perhaps have a curious dream, my Lord?" Asleep, had he been asleep? He had thought it – Underland, Wonderland – to be a dream until he had been proven wrong. He had been wrong, not? Or had it only been a dream, after all?

All of it?

"Maybe an early retiring is in order," the White Rabbit – _no, Sebastian_ – suggested. Ciel blinked, directing his eyes towards the carpet. With a sharp pain he realised that this was not the man he had kissed, held hands with. There were no secret smiles, suggestions – everything was prim and proper, the way a butler should behave. The way two men were supposed to behave – normal and natural.

It had only been a dream – an horrible, wicked, wonderful dream. A simple figment of his imagination, an idea that should have never been created. He stared at the carpet as if it held all the answers to his questions.

Sebastian, Alice, the war… Could he truly have imagined it all?

Should he be ashamed? Should he regret it?

"Young master?"

Shock raced through him; the boy jumped, thinking quickly, he nodded a 'yes', feigning to be as calm as possible; he needed time to think – to take this all in. There truly was no point in arguing - in looking for answers in a rug.

"I think I need to return to my room and have some more sleep," the boy confirmed, trying to look directly into the man's eyes and to not let his terrible disappointment show. He felt unusually pained. How could he behave normally towards a man he had just been so… intimate with? Even if he had only dreamed it – were dreams not akin to wishes? He had not wished to leave yet, he had not even said 'goodbye'.

But did that even matter, if none of it had been real?

"I shall accompany you," the butler said, seeming like the rabbit for the very first time, moving to open the door for Ciel. As the boy passed him, he felt slightly faint. The man was still as grand and beautiful as he had been in his sleep, but there was no longer room in his mind for these thoughts.

There was no point in believing in fakes. No matter how ideal they seemed.

As the very confused butler led his very confused master to his bedroom, neither of them noticed the object laying on the desk in the study, hidden by scattered papers and Latin translations – a silver, little thing, happily ticking away every second, the careful, thin hands hidden by the polished lid – engraved with the seal of Underland…

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><p><em>You sit there, waiting for the train on a raining day, on that terribly uncomfortable, metal bench, staring ahead, watching the droplets cascade down around you, staring into nothingness. Your mind's filled with a thousand thoughts. When you don't even notice the rain any-more, and then your eyes being to get foggy, and your vision blurs, and you look and you see: that one person those thoughts swivel and swirl around, about, and they look - and look at you, only you, and they, their world, is you, yours, and everything is blissful perfection, and then you blink - and it shatters. Our dreams are just that: wishful illusions. Silly fakes created by our imagination, and yet - even though we know what they are, we cling to them; we stretch and strain and try everything in our might to make them real, to make them ours - hoping that the more we dream, the more and more we think, that, like the repetition of a white lie, those illusions will eventually come true. Truth is that they don't, and that fate is a lie. But when you finally get on that train, and you sit down, and you stare out of the window, and the voices of the tired businessman, of the desperate mother and her five children, of the grumpy old man fade out, away, and through the window: you see them; maybe they are smiling, maybe their hand is raised in a wave - they might even blow you a kiss, but there are there; there they are. Because humans never learn.<em>

_~ Doll of the Devil_

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><p><strong>The End<strong>


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